Special Patient
by WriterC
Summary: A special patient is admitted to Seattle Grace Hospital and Meredith faces a dark chapter of her life again. What has this patient done to her? And what happens if someone wants to take revenge? Also MerDer. FINISHED!
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter one: The Man in the Parking Lot**

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_Hm. I should go home. Work tomorrow. No more tequilas._

It was on a late Thursday night when Meredith Grey swung her bag over her small shoulder and pushed open the door of Joe's Emerald City Bar and stepped outside onto the parking lot greeting a sight that startled her. It was the sight of an elderly man approaching her, or rather approaching the entrance of the bar Meredith stood frozen in front of. The wind made her green skirt flutter around her legs and blew right through her thin blouse. Her hair danced playfully on her shoulders but her grey eyes expressed confusion.

_Hold on. Is that... is it... him? No. Can't be him. Probably had too much tequilas. I need to get home before I freeze right here and block Joe's door._

Meredith closed her eyes and shook her head and quickly made her way through the dimly lit lot.

As Meredith closed the front door behind her the sounds of her chatting friends and the tv greeted her. She peeked into the living room and then mounted the stairs as quietly as she could. She didn't feel like having funny conversations now.

"Hey Meredith's home!" Meredith froze on the stairs and forced a smile.

"Hey guys," she replied.

The beautiful blonde Isobel 'Izzie' Stevens looked up at Meredith.

"Will you come down to join us in a minute?" The others, too, looked up at Meredith and their happy eyes only made her feel more miserable.

"I'm sorry, I think I had too much tequilas tonight. And I have a head-ache," she added defencively when George frowned.

"Well... would you like me to go upstairs with you to make sure you're okay then?" Izzie asked, a bit puzzled.

_Great. Izzie's coming up to my room and she'll have made me tell about Derek before I can kick her out._

Realizing she took too long to answer Izzie's question Meredith quickly murmered: "Sure," and continued her way up. Izzie jumped up from the sofa and followed her, leaving George and Cristina in front of the tv.

"Do you know if there's something wrong with Meredith?" George asked in a worried voice.

Cristina, who had just moved in with cardio-thoracic surgeon Dr. Preston Burke but was now visiting her friends to keep up her social life didn't bother to shift her gaze from the tv to George as she shrugged and replied: "Besides her obsession with married McDreamy I don't know if there's anything wrong with her. She doesn't tell us it's none of our business. People need private lives George."

George sighed at this predictable reaction of the beautiful level-headed Korean descent and turned his gaze back to the television screen in front of them.

Meredith fell down on her bed as Izzie closed the door behind them and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Spit it out," she said in a 'and-do-not-try-to-argue-with-me' tone.

Meredith stared at the ceiling and sighed.

_Okay. Alright._

"It's Derek."

"McDreamy? I thought you guys were friends now?"

"Not anymore. Today he called me a slut."

"He called you what?" Izzie asked infuriated.

"That was after I tried to kiss him in the elevator," Meredith admitted ashamed.

"Meredith!" Izzie's mouth fell open. "I thought you said no more!"

"I know. I know I said that," Meredith answered in a painful voice.

"Meredith."

"I can't seem to help it!" she sat up straight in her bed, "I see him everywhere. During lunch. In the halls. In the elevator! And... and he just keeps smiling at me. And then his eyes sparkle and I drown in them and I try to ignore it but I... I can't... I'm just..."

"Hopelessly in love with McDreamy," Izzie finished her sentence for her.

"Yes. No! I mean, not anymore. Not after he called me a slut. Definitely not after he knew I was looking and he kissed Addison and ruined my day. It was a mean thing to do. It was crap. He has no right to treat me that way."

"Right, right," Izzie said in a slightly sarcastic voice.

"He's an ass and I hate him!"

"Okay, okay." Izzie paused. "So that's what's bothering you tonight?"

"Yes!"

"And you're not coming down to be with your ever-so-understanding, always-being-there-for-you friends?"

"I'm sorry."

Izzie shrugged.

"Okay. Good night then, I guess."

"Good night Izzie. And thank you."

"No problem," Izzie answered as she closed Meredith's bedroom door behind her.

Meredith fell into the soft pillows and stared at the ceiling again.

_But what if it was... him?_

She shivered and then pushed the image of the man in the parking lot away, trying to think of happy things to dream about.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two: A Special Patient

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It was the next morning and Meredith was late for work.

_How could I oversleep? Hm, probably because I was dreaming about a certain McDreamy. How do I get rid of that man? God is merciless._

"Hey Mere!" the other interns greeted Meredith in unison.

"You're late," Izzie stated superfluously while biting an apple.

"Yeah. I know," Meredith answered and quickly changed into her scrubs. She would start the day with a bladder operation.

The conversations in the halls of Seattle Grace Hospital that day mostly concerned the news of the search for a rapist, an old man charged with the rape and assault of three high school girls. The interns, too, were discussing it during their lunch break.

"But seriously, what brings an old man like him to raping one girl and assaulting two others out of nowhere?" Izzie asked no one in particular.

Meredith, who had not watched the news but was now well-informed by the others, answered.

"Maybe it had been going on for years only now he found the courage to really cross the line."

"That's a good reason," George answered after swallowing his juice.

"A good reason for what?" Izzie asked indignantly.

"What Meredith said. It could be a good reason," George looked around and found that the others didn't get his point. He sighed. "What Meredith said. Izzie you asked what could bring that man to go from nothing to rape. Maybe he was taking it a little further each time and it took him a long time to really... well, you know, cross the line."

"Aha," Izzie said, furrowing her brow.

"So Cristina, what would you have done if you were one of those girls?"

Alex's question was answered with a scornful look from Cristina.

"What if _I_ was one of those girls? Simple, that couldn't happen to me," she answered and continued eating her lunch.

"That couldn't happen to you?" repeated Meredith with pointedly. Cristina looked up from her plate.

"No. Of course not. I do martial arts. I would have kicked his butt before someone can say the word 'pervert'."

"You do martial arts?"

"Surprised?"

The others shrugged. Another inside on the phenomenon named Cristina.

"Hey Mere, you look pale. Are you okay? Are you eating your lunch?" Izzie asked worriedly as she noticed the untouched plate on Meredith's tray.

"I'm not so hungry," Meredith looked down.

"Well, you should eat something."

"Hey Izzie?"

"Yeah?"

"I really appreciate that you care about me, but could you please stop mothering me?"

Izzie bended towards her.

"Is it McDreamy?" she whispered.

"What? No!"

"Just checking hon."

Later that day Izzie, Cristina, George and Meredith raced towards doctor Miranda Bailey.

"Alright interns we have an ambulance with a special patient and I want Yang and Stevens to take him." As usual, Bailey, or 'the Nazi', started giving orders right away. "Grey, O'Mally, there's another ambulance for you. Go!"

As the interns ran off to their destinations none of them could expect the patient Cristina and Izzie were about to treat. Nor could they have expected the consequences of the admittance of that patient to the hospital for one of them.

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Okay so here are two chapters for you to see if you like this story. I will update as fast as you ask me to. Please read and review. Any suggestions/remarks are welcome! 


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter three: A Very Unpleasant Confirmation**

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Meredith was on her way to the room where Cristina and Izzie were busy with their special patient. 

_A 'special' patient? Why would Bailey say that?_

Suddenly Meredith stopped dead. Down the hall was the room where Izzie's and Cristina's special patient was.

_And why are there policemen waiting in front of the door?_

The rithm of Meredith's heartbeat slightly increased.

"Hey. Could you tell me what's going on? Why are the police guarding this room?" Meredith asked one of the policemen blocking the door.

"We have a dangerous patient in this room, doctor. We can't let anyone in or out who is not the assigned doctor."

"Who is in there?"

"Two doctors and the patient."

It was obvious that the policemen weren't going to tell Meredith more than they just did.

"Okay. Could you tell the _assigned _doctors to meet Meredith when they've finished? They know where."

"Of course doctor."

Meredith smiled and resumed her walk down the hall on her way to the locker room.

_I thought I had put this away. It's really annoying. Even I notice myself being quiet today. I didn't eat my lunch. Why? Because of... but that wasn't that big a deal. At first it was but later... I've grown over it. I'm an adult now. With a job and responsibilities. Maybe that teacher from the news brought it back. I wonder if mister Ra-_

"Meredith where are you?" Izzie bellowed excitedly when she opened the door to the locker room and interrupted Meredith's thoughts.

Meredith jumped and turned and saw her friend come in followed by an unhappy-looking George.

"Meredith! You're not going to believe who our patient, the _special_ patient, is!"

"Izzie, please! We're not allowed to tell-"

"It's the perve from the news. That teacher!" Izzie interrupted George before he could finish his sentence. Her eyes sparkled.

"He's got surveillance both in and out of his room, that's how dangerous he is. And Bailey chose us to treat him!"

George looked as if he was about to drop dead in misery. He took Izzie's arm and pulled her over to face him.

"Izzie! Bailey said we had to keep this a secret you blabbermouth!" he said angrily through clenched teeth.

"George. I'm telling Meredith. Not a magazine or anything. As our friend she has the right to know," having said that George removed his hand from Izzie's arm and Izzie turned back to Meredith.

Izzie was just about to say something but let Meredith speak first.

"Was he in some sort of accident?" Meredith asked beating the thoughts of the other moment back into the back of her head.

"Eh yeah. Car accident. Trauma to the head and abdomen. Nothing serious. We're keeping him here tonight for observation. The head you know. But hey do you want to know the weirdest thing? The guy is like _so_ polite and not an offending pain in the butt at all!"

"So you're completely comfortable with him being your patient. You're comfortable being close to him?"

Izzie put her hands on her hips.

"No. Yeah. No. Yeah! I mean, he's an old guy. What harm could he do?"

Meredith raised an eyebrow.

"I mean what harm could he do to the both of us, George and me. Jeez you'd almost forget about what he's done to those girls. Horrible." And suddenly Izzie was serious again.

"Grey! Hold on!" Bailey bellowed as Meredith passed her. Quickly the latter one turned and paced back to where Bailey was standing.

"Yes doctor Bailey?"

"I need you to check on the special patient. Stevens and O'Malley are busy and the guy's complaining about something. Just put him on some pain meds although I don't think he deserves them."

"Okay."

"Oh and Grey, make sure you have one of those tough policemen accompany you okay?"

"I will."

"Bye then," Bailey said and turned on her heels, pacing in the opposite direction from where Meredith was heading.

"Sorry miss but I can't let you in," one of the policemen she had met earlier got in her way.

"Only assigned doctors right?" Meredith asked with a smirk.

"Yep."

"That's me. Doctor Bailey's orders. Ask her if you don't believe me," Meredith said in a triumphant voice and was already getting passed the man when she added: "And I need someone to come in with me while I'm treating the patient."

"There's someone inside already doctor."

"Thank you," said Meredith and stepped into the room. There she first said hello to the guard and then pulled the curtain aside that hid the bed from her sight. She froze on the spot and with disbelief looked right in the face of the man she thought she had seen coming towards her that night in the parking lot. She felt as though she was stabbed in the stomach and coldness spread through her veins.

_Oh god. It is him.

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Everybody thanks for the revieuws! You will find out soon what this man did and how Meredith knows him... R&R, and I will update! 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter four: Panic

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_Has he noticed? Does he know who I am?_

Meredith let her bangs fall over her forehead and looked down as she got the clipboard from the bed. She felt slightly nauseated. If someone would have somehow warned her for who she was going to meet maybe she wouldn't feel so sick right now. It just was a shock. While reading the charts she tried to cover her face with the clipboard for hiding was her first impulse.

_Okay. Now._

She looked up at the man in the bed in front of her and started asking the usual questions.

"So. How are you feeling mister Raiswick?" her voice slightly shook at the last two words. Two very familiar words, unfortunately.

Raiswick scrutinized her and took his time for it before answering.

"Not too well I'm afraid doctor... sorry. I didn't catch your name?" he smiled charmingly.

_His eyes. His mouth. His hands. Nothing tells me he's in shock too. Hopefully he did not recognize me._

"Black," Meredith answered at the sight of the black apartment building she could see outside the window. "Mary Black sir," Meredith mentally gave herself a high five for coming up with a lie that quickly.

_He hasn't changed that much. Grown older. Didn't change much. Only he seems smaller. Well, after all I'm taller now._

"Well _Mary_, mind if I call you Mary dear, you might understand that my belly is hurting. Perhaps you should check my stitches; there might be an infection," he said and winked at her, but not in way that one would call flirtatious.

Meredith clenched her fists and then relaxed them to stop the slight trembling of her hands.

_Meredith there's a guard in the room. Stop this._

"I'll take a look at them for you," she said in as a professional tone as she could muster. She brought her hands to the sheet and a shiver ran down her spine as her fingers met with the bare skin of her former high school teacher. A memory started to fight its way through the barriers Meredith had put up like a black liquid slowly spreading out in the water. After pulling away the sheet and lifting a piece of the dressing she studied the closed wound and found some stitches had gotten loose. She covered them with the dressing again and walked to the windowsill to retrieve a pair of surgical gloves.

_I know he's staring at me. Why do men always stare in a way that makes you be aware of it?_

"Okay. I see that everything I need was put in this cupboard here. Very convenient," she managed to let a small smile cross her face as she tried hard to hide her shallow breathing, a clear sign of nervousity which she couldn't afford to show. When she had retrieved everything she needed from the cupboard and spread it out on a tray which she put on the small table beside the bed Meredith pulled the sheet away again and started to remove the entire dressing. As she exposed the bloody stitches the guard's eyes almost popped out of his head. Meredith looked up at him.

"Are you feeling nauseated? Because if so you'd better turn around for a second."

The guard immediately did as Meredith told and closed the curtains around the bed. Meredith watched the room around her and Raiswick getting smaller with a fearful look on her face and her legs started to tremble lightly. Frankly, she'd rather not have the guard turn around let alone close the curtains around the bed, but she had to act like this didn't matter to her. She couldn't let Raiswick notice anything about her behaviour and let him dig in his memory to find where he knew her from.

_Pull yourself together Meredith Grey, pull yourself together._

"All right. Let's see what we got here," she said in a surprisingly calm voice and bent over Raiswick's stomach to examine the loose stitches more closely.

_That's weird. They look like they were pulled right through the skin. Ouch._

As Meredith brought her hands to the wound Raiswick suddenly made a quick move and pushed Meredith aside, causing her to lose her balance and while she restored it he grabbed the sharp scissors from the tray next to the bed. Then, faster than Meredith thought he was capable of, Raiswick grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. She cringed with fear as he closed his arm around her throat and softly slid the cold metal scissors over her skin.

"Hey!" Meredith shouted without thinking about the possible consequences of this rather bold action of hers and the guard immediately pulled the curtain open. She looked in his eyes begging him for help but could see the shocked look on his face telling her he had no idea of what to do, and Meredith stopped trying to remove Raiswick's arm.

_Crap. An inexperienced guard's supposed to handle a freak holding a pair of scissors to my face. This is crap!_

"Meredith Grey, not another word or I'll slice your face open like a turkey," Raiswick's voice sounded calm and steady.

_So he did know. He had known the entire time._

Meredith was in shock and clasped the arm that was pressing her throat, trying to create more room to breathe. She didn't cry or try to scream, she tried to think of happy moments and without caring or feeling upset about it a single thought repeated in her head.

_Derek. Derek. Derek. Derek holding me. Derek kissing me. Derek. Derek. Derek._

And she remembered his face when he looked at her right before he kissed her.

Meredith's head felt like it feels before you're about to faint but she didn't. She was wide awake. It was like an anaesthetic that numbs your muscles but you can still feel everything.

Suddenly the guard jumped up and pulled the door open and ran outside. He was calling for help.

"That was not so bright of him," Raiswick said and pushed the tiny scissor points in Meredith's cheek. She winced in pain as the pressure was finally big enough to create a little hole in her skin. The blood started gliding across her face like a tear, drop by drop.

"I hope I have made myself clear now. Do not attempt to do anything stupid or that little wound will be the very least of your concern."

"Trust me I get it," Meredith answered in a shaky voice. She was in a very uncomfortable position: her back supported by the railing of the bed, her arms around the strong arm holding her up by her head, her feet spread to hold her balance and support her weight.

For a few minutes the silent room was deserted except for the two of them. Meredith could feel the steady rising and falling of Raiswick's chest under her head and shoulder and listened to it intently to get her own panting and racing heartbeat under control.

_So this is it. This is what it feels like to be kept hostage and not knowing if you're going to make it to the next day. Which is weird because I hardly feel anything. I'd call it a state. It's not a feeling. And after the bomb incident I am kind of an expert in this field of life-threatening situations. I will call it a state._

With these sensible thoughts Meredith was able to relax some contorted muscles. But being in a situation like she was one would find it very hard to keep one's focus on one thing especially sensible thinking. Therefore images of the darker kind started gathering inside Meredith's mind.

_How long exactly am I supposed to stand this for? I want his hands off of me... off of me!_

As Meredith started to panic she heard fast approaching footsteps and the door was yanked open, replacing the panic by surprise.

An infuriated Miranda Bailey stepped in, her white coat billowing behind her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing with my intern?" she bellowed at Raiswick. 'The Nazi' struck her most threatening pose and with piercing eyes looked straight at the man holding Meredith hostage.

"Oh so you're just an intern Meredith? Not even a real doctor," Raiswick shook his head in disappointment. "I actually expected you to be one by now. And a damn good one too, like your lovely mother Ellis."

"I am a doctor!" Meredith spat back.

Bailey was surprised and looked from Meredith to Raiswick.

"Sir how do you know my intern?" the anger was still present in her voice.

At that moment the door was yanked open again and Izzie, George, Cristina , Derek and the guard and policemen rushed in. The room was getting pretty crowded now.

"Meredith! Are you okay?" Izzie asked with most concern in her voice.

"Doctor Bailey she's bleeding!" George called.

"Why is he holding a pair of scissors to Meredith's face?" asked Cristina.

Then Derek made his way through.

"Meredith!"

Meredith's gaze shifted to his terrified face. Now everyone could see her eyes, struck with fear. It was as if by seeing the horror on everyone's face Meredith came round from her shock and she wanted to cry. Her chest shocked as if she were crying but the tears didn't come. Meredith didn't care if crying in the presence of others, especially Derek, made her feel embarrassed; nonetheless her eyes stayed dry. All she did was searching for safety in Derek's blue eyes and it tore him apart to see the horrible look of surprise and confusion about the situation on her pretty face.

"We have an audience," Raiswick smiled a frugal smile. "Where were we, doctor Bailey?"

"I said: how do you know my intern and what the hell do you think you're doing holding a pair of scissors to her face?"

Raiswick's eyes were sparkling as he seemed to enjoy this 'performance' and Bailey crossed her arms in front of her body and leaned on one hip: her do-as-I-tell-you-quickly-or-you're-going-to-regret-it pose. Then Raiswick started to speak.

"Meredith and I met when she was in high school. I was her teacher there. She liked me very much, didn't you Meredith Grey, and it was the same for me. She stood out from the other girls. We were friendly with each other and that is why I'd like to hear from her why she's pretending to be someone else instead of greeting me properly as a decent person would do."

"Friendly?" Meredith spoke incredulously in a low voice.

"Yes. Perhaps you should tell them yourself Meredith. Go on. Tell them what happened."

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Thanks again for the reviews! NicoleKidmanIsPerfect, I used the name of your teacher for my story if you don't mind. Well, it's not exactly the same but anyway. If you're not okay with it let me know! R&R! 


	5. Chapter 5

You should put on some sad music while reading this chapter. And yes NicoleKidmanIsPerfect, you're finally going to find out! And jojocat, please review again and tell me if I'm portraying the characters properly!**

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**Chapter five: Telling the Past**

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_I can't believe he's making me do this. Telling everyone. What good does it do him?_

"I don't understand what it is that you want me to tell."

The room was quiet but the air wired with tension.

"Oh I think you do Meredith. I think you do. Remember the dance?"

Meredith stretched one of her legs and tried to move her back a little without moving her head.

"Why should I tell them about the dance?" she asked ignoring the puzzled look on everybody's faces.

"Ah. Well, you may not be aware of this but your complaint about me nearly cost me my job at the time and has now helped to convict me. It was a big deal Meredith and I'd like to know if you still remember it right for it seemed to have had such a great inpact on you."

Meredith sighed and her eyes met with Derek's who was watching the hostage first row. He had a tormented look in his eyes because he was completely helpless when it came to saving Meredith from this maniac.

"I don't know what you want," stated Meredith stubbornly.

Out of nowhere Raiswick pushed her away and she had to grab the railing of the bed to stay on her feet. A rush of adrenaline went through everyone's bodies and George yelled: "Meredith run!" which resulted in Cristina's elbow against his ribcage.

"Ouch!" he said rubbing the place Cristina had poked him.

"She runs she gets hurt you moron," Cristina whispered. Raiswick had immediately grabbed Meredith's wrist and pushed the scissor points into her flesh. Meredith gasped in pain and had to suppress her reflex of pulling her arm back for then the scissor points would slice open her entire wrist.

"Tell them!" Raiswick said.

"Okay. Okay," Meredith surrendered and held the heel of her hand to her forehead as she unlocked a memory carefully hidden in the back of her head.

"You... assaulted me... at the dance," her voice was barely audible but everyone heard. Izzie's mouth fell open.

"You pervert!" she yelled.

Raiswick twisted Meredith's arm.

"What did you say?" he asked calmly and glanced at Izzie pointedly.

"Sick," Izzie said to the floor.

"Very good Meredith. But you'll have to tell _exactly_ what happened."

Meredith cleared her throat and stood motionless with her head down looking intently at the floor.

"Hold on darling. You have to face the audience when you give a show." Raiswick let Meredith lift her head so she was facing Bailey, the policemen, her friends and the man she loved.

"Mister Raiswick... assaulted me when I was fifteen years old," she spoke in a clear voice. "It happened at the dance at school. But it started before that. At first I thought you were annoying but harmless. Always staring at me in class, favouring me, getting close to me _physically_. Not mentally we weren't friendly like you said. I wasn't." Meredith paused and looked at the people in front of her. She continued looking down. "Then the dance came. My friends were drunk and one by one left the dancefloor with their boyfriends. Chris and I had just broken up so I was left alone. I was alone so I decided to look for him. He'd told me we were still friends. But when I passed an empty classroom I saw him kissing Hayley," Meredith looked up to see Derek's reaction. He didn't speak but his eyes seemed to say: "I'm sorry". Meredith shifted her gaze towards Raiswick but didn't look him straight in the face.

"I hated that girl and Chris knew it. Anyway, I was upset and I wanted to go home so I went to my locker. I was putting my key in the lock when he- when you came up from somewhere behind me," Meredith took a deep breath before she continued. "You pinned me against the lockers, felt me up and tried to kiss me. You grabbed my chin to hold my face in the right position so you could put your tongue in my mouth," she shivered as Raiswick caressed the skin on her arm and seemed to be reliving the moment, "First I was so surprised that I didn't know what to do. I felt sick. And filthy. You were all over me. I started to fight back when you tried..." Meredith sighed. This was hard. Even though she knew none of what happened could be blamed on her she felt embarrassed and the feeling of filth upon her was back. She took another deep breath.

"You tried to rip my clothes off while you were pushing down your own pants. And I thought: "This is not going to happen to me. I don't want this." Then I kicked you between the legs and pushed you away. You stumbled backwards and I made for the door. You tried to grab me along the way but I was too quick. I went home and thanked God that my parents weren't there. I filed a complaint against your pathetic person the next day and yes, it almost cost you your job. It took me a month to feel clean again. I never told any of my friends or family because if nobody knew and nothing changed it hadn't happened. But it did. That's what happened. I think you're crap. I think you should rot in a cell. Are you happy now? Will you finally let go of me?" At the last words Meredith's anger had taken over and her fear of being cut by this man was minimal. She wanted to tell him she despised him. To finally be able to say that to his face felt like she was finally able to stand up for the girl he attacked so many years ago.

For a moment Meredith felt relieved. Yes, she had told everyone and she had confirmed what happened and she felt sad about it, but at least she was able to share her sadness with the people that cared about her. Then she noticed the way everyone was looking at her: totally surprised by her confession and they had pity and Meredith realized she was going to have to talk about it to these people too. And frankly, one time was humiliating enough and to let it ruin one day was enough, too.

"Why do you sound so angry Meredith?"

"What is it you want?" Meredith visibly felt humiliated and spoke in a broken voice.

"I want you to get me out of here," he said.

"Well I don't know how to do that!"

"I do though Meredith. The both of us and these scissors can just walk out of this hospital and get into your car and simply drive off to the airport or so. It's really simple," he smiled.

"You can't flee. Your wound needs to be closed first."

"You're going to have to think of a solution, _doctor_ Grey," Raiswick said mockingly.

"I'll have to stitch it. And I'm going to need both my hands to do it."

Raiswick seemed to ponder this for a moment. Then he looked up at Derek.

"You do it," he stated.

"Me?" Derek asked surprised.

"You're a doctor aren't you? You can sew people up right?"

"He's the best," Meredith said and looked hopefully into Derek's eyes.

"She's right," he stated and shifted his gaze from Meredith to Raiswick.

"Doctors and their God-complexes... All right. No jokes or this pretty young doctor will bleed to death in this very room. You got that?"

"Yeah. I got that. Don't worry," Derek answered, the last words being more directed at Meredith than Raiswick, and slowly walked passed Meredith to retrieve the tray and put it on the bed. He wished he could just put his arms around her and protect her. She could smell his aftershave and longed to be in his arms.

_It feels so good having him close. He'd better have a plan. He'd better get me away from Raiswick._

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How's that for a cliffhanger? I'm brutal I know.  
But I need to know what you think about this story. Is it in character? Realistic? What do you think should have happened or should happen next? And please everyone keep reviewing because the reviews keep me motivated to update!

How's that for a cliffhanger? I'm brutal I know.But I need to know what you think about this story. Is it in character? Realistic? What do you think should have happened or should happen next? And please everyone keep reviewing because the reviews keep me motivated to update! 


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter six: Saving Meredith

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Derek finished the last stitch. His mind had been working on full-speed thinking of how he could get Meredith savely out of this room. He could try to put a tool in her hand but Raiswick could notice. He could try to quickly snatch away the scissors but Meredith could get hurt. He could try to inject the drug in a place where it would affect his consciousness but the drug wasn't strong enough for that effect. None of his ideas seemed to stand a chance but the handsome neurosurgeon decided he couldn't do nothing and watch his Meredith being put through these humiliations. So he stood dawdling with the tray and tried to come up with a plan that might stand a chance.

"You're taking too long doctor hero," Raiswick said and pulled Meredith against him and the scissors back against her throat. Derek backed off with his hands in the air defencively.

"Shepherd get your ass back here!" Bailey bellowed, as usual not at all intimidated by the fact that Derek was actually her boss.

"Let her go!" Izzie screamed.

"Mister Raiswick we're not going to let you leave this room. Under no circumstances," said one of the policemen that finally found the courage to speak.

Raiswick's expression changed. He no longer tried to be the charming man. He was getting mad.

"Oh," he replied affably, "Well, then it doesn't matter what I'll do to this lady, does it?" And he lifted his arm holding the scissors ready to puncture Meredith's throat. However, Derek at this instant stopped thinking and just reacted. Meredith anticipated on his move and she reacted so quickly that her motion was a blur to the spectators. The consequences weren't.

When Meredith saw the sharp points shine in the sunlight she knew she had two options: either let this disgusting man end her life or take her chances and prevent him from doing so. She chose the latter. It would have been rather difficult to say the least for her to reach out and grab the scissors as they were approaching her throat, but luckily and out of nowhere, Derek made a sharp move and pushed Raiswick's arm out of its direction. As hard as she could Meredith rammed her fist into the wound on Raiswick's belly and he doubled up and gave a cry while dropping the scissors. Meredith grabbed the arm holding her with both hands and threw it off of her. Then she stumbled away from the bed until she stood with her back against the wall, a bewildered look in her eyes and panting. Then Derek rushed towards her and Meredith flung her arms around his neck, quietly sobbing against his shoulder.

"It's over. You did great." He scooped her up in his arms like a baby and carried her out of the room, leaving the others flabbergasted and trying to grasp what had just happened in front of their eyes.

Izzie, George and Cristina sat on the ground next to the door of the hospital room where Derek was treating Meredith's wounds. Neither of them felt like saying anything. Cristina played with the laces of her shoes while George had his knees pulled up to his chest and Izzie leaned her head against the wall behind them.

Meanwhile, in the room itself, Derek had laid Meredith down on the bed and enveloped her hand with his own. He placed little kisses on it and they looked in each other's eyes.

"I'm just," he started to say but then paused to caress her hand more.

"What?" asked Meredith softly and wiped her last tears away.

"Too lost... in you," Derek said.

"Derek," Meredith sighed, "You don't have to be nice to me because of what happened. It's okay. I have friends," she assured him.

Derek shook his head.

"I'm so sorry about this last week Meredith," he sounded sincere. "I tried to fight it. I thought that if you hated me then I would get to hate you too. Obviously, I was wrong," he brought his face close to Meredith's and kissed her softly, "So wrong..." She closed her eyes and tried to suppress the urge to kiss him back passionately.

"Derek. You can't do this to me. Not again. I can't be a second choice. I need full attention."

Derek kissed her again.

"Don't worry. I'm leaving Addison. And she's leaving me. Our marriage was falling apart even before I came here. We tried but it didn't work. We're filing."

Meredith placed her hands on his chest.

"Seriously?" she asked and furrowed her brow. Derek looked into her beautiful eyes.

"Oh yeah," he replied and kissed Meredith's face and neck. "Oh god look at me!" he suddenly called, "I'm kissing you and I've not even taken care of your face. Your blood is all over me!" He wiped the blood from his lips and stood up to retrieve gloves and everything else he needed to clean up Meredith's face.

Derek returned to her bed and let her sit up straight while he dabbed her face and neck.

"There," Derek said as he made sure all the blood was removed and he put a small band aid over the little hole.

"Does it hurt anywhere else?" he asked.

"No I'm fine," Meredith answered and was halfway cupping his face with her hands, ready to kiss him again, but he gently grabbed her forearm and looked at the wrist Raiswick had held.

"Does this hurt?" Derek said and lightly pressed a spot on Meredith's wrist.

"Just a little," she replied but nearly unnoticably winced.

"And this?" he asked pressing another spot.

"Derek. Just kiss me again," Meredith pleaded and Derek obeyed.

"I _am_ going to bandage that wrist when we're done kissing though."

"Okay," Meredith said and closed her eyes and kissed him.

"Hey! Why close your eyes?" Derek said indignantly.

Without opening them or pausing their make-out session Meredith answered: "Love is supposed to be blind, isn't it?"

"I just like looking at them," Derek murmered and continued kissing Meredith's soft lips.

Meredith finally felt truly free to kiss this man, her man from now on, and she wished they could kiss forever.

Derek pulled back slowly and looked at Meredith with a sincere look.

"Meredith... I will never bring this up again, but I'm so sorry about what happened to you, I'm so sorry."

Meredith had a serious look on her face.

"That was something I locked up in the back of my head years ago. I'm over it. Talking about it makes me feel shaky. But I'm okay. It's over."

Derek tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and replied: "Yeah. It's over. We're together now."

And then they kissed again...

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So, a bit MerDer fluff in this chapter because I'm a hopeless romantic and because you're digging it. And I do listen to you guys's wishes, because at first I had Meredith saving herself but you wanted Derek to save her, so they're saving her together now!  
I need reviews! If you're enjoying this story think about the hard work I put in it and work just a little for me and review!!! 


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter seven: Kissing in Public

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Cristina Yang knocked on the door.

"Excuse me? We've been waiting for an half an hour. Is everything okay in there doctor Shepherd or do you need some assistance?"

Inside the room Meredith and Derek smirked.

"Come in!" Meredith called.

Cristina, Izzie and George came in to find Meredith sitting on the edge of the hospital bed, holding up her wrist and Derek bandaging it. They looked up smiling at the interns.

"Meredith... is your face, will you be all right?" George asked with concern.

"Yes George. I'm fine," Meredith answered and smiled.

Izzie made her way towards Meredith and hugged her tight.

"Hey honey. I thought for a moment we'd lose you."

Cristina patted her best friend on the shoulder.

"I knew you'd free yourself," she said matter-of-factly.

The door opened and Alex Karev, one of their fellow interns, a doctor with a God-complex and proud of it, stuck his head inside.

"Hi," he said and nodded his head. "Meredith I'm glad to see you alive and well. So your tiny ineffectual fists are not so ineffective after all I heard." Alex, his person not always appreciated in their company by the other interns, was referring to the incident where Meredith had pinned him against the lockers and put him in his place. Derek had come in and Meredith had released Alex but wanted to leap at him again after he pointedly said: "She attacked me." Derek, just in time, prevented Meredith from doing so but said to Alex: "You know, you might want to leave. Before I change my mind and let her beat you to a pulp with her tiny, ineffectual fists."

"Would you like a demonstration?" Cristina said in an annoyed voice and cocked her head to the side and looked at Alex.

"Nope. I'm out of here," Alex said and pulled back his head and closed the door behind him.

Meredith's friends resumed their conversation.

"They transported Raiswick to another hospital after Bailey sewed him up," George chuckled, "He was in so much pain."

"Yeah that must have been so satisfying," Cristina sighed.

"Trust me, he deserves it," Meredith said.

"Oh we know he does. After what he did to you... it makes me want to..."

"Hit him with a surgical hammer? Slice him open and transplant his organs into pigs? Make him watch while you're doing it?" Cristina finished George's sentence for him.

"Yeah," George said enthusiastically but he was unsure of what Cristina meant. With her you never knew. She could be making fun of you or mean it. And you do _not_ want to offend Cristina Yang, George had learned, so he decided to keep his mouth shut.

"There you go," Derek said as he finished the bandage around Meredith's bruised wrist.

"Thank you doctor," Meredith replied with a grin.

Izzie crossed her arms in front of her body and looked from Meredith to Derek and back.

"Okay that look just gave you both away. What has been going on here for freaking 30 minutes while we were worrying ourselves sick outside?" Izzie put her elementary-school-teacher look on, "Go on. Admit it. Spit it out!"

Meredith was beaming as she looked at Derek and he nodded slightly after which Meredith turned her gaze back to Izzie.

"Yes," she said simply, "Yes!" and at last, free of feelings of embarrassment or doubt or guilt in any way, Meredith kissed _her_ McDreamy in public.

_Yes!

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_

So, this was supposed to be the end of this story, but since you guys seem to love it so much I've decided to add some more chapters. If you keep reviewing, that is. I need more reviews to keep me writing now! I'm hoping to have at least fifty before I update the next chapter. (You get the hint, right?) So to y'all that are reading but not reviewing: I'd really appreciate just a few words! And feedback is always welcome. I will continue this story as long as you want me to.


	8. Chapter 8

This chapter is SO dedicated to my grandfather who died today. I love him, still do, and I'm glad his suffering is over.**

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**Chapter eight: Coming Home**

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"Okay we're home," said George who had been driving. They had taken Derek's car. In the passenger seat sat Cristina; Derek, Meredith and Izzie were sitting in the back of the car.

"Nice car doctor Shepherd. Smooth," George complimented Derek as he looked over his shoulder. He saw Meredith leaning against Izzie, whose arm was protectively wrapped around her shoulders while Derek held Meredith's hand in his own. It was sweet.

"Thank you George. And call me Derek." Then he turned to the women next to him. "Time to get out of the car ladies," he said and opened the door and got out. Meredith opened her eyes and let Derek help her out of the car. It was dark outside and a cool breeze stroked her face and her scarf billowed up. Meredith realized she was glancing to her right and left to see if they were alone and decided to stop being neurotic. After all, Raiswick should have been transported and chained to his new bed in the other hospital by now.

Izzie stepped out of the car too and closed the door behind her while George unlocked the door of the house and Cristina and he went in.

"Meredith you want some coffee?" Izzie asked.

"I'll take some tea," Meredith answered as she flopped down on the sofa.

"The rest of you guys want tea as well?"

"Sure," replied Derek, George and Cristina in unison and Izzie and George disappeared into the kitchen.

"Hm," Meredith moaned and rested her head on Derek's chest. He lifted her legs and placed them over his own after which he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her hair. The familiar scent of her shampoo reached his nostrils and he realized how much he loved that scent.

"Are you tired?"

"Yeah. I'll sleep right here," she murmered and snuggled up in his arms some more.

"It's been a rough day."

"Yeah."

When the tea was ready Cristina handed Derek his cup.

"Your tea McDr- doctor Shepherd," she said and hoped that he wouldn't notice her slip.

"Derek. We're not in the hospital. Thank you Cristina," Derek grinned and took the cup. He knew they called him McDreamy behind his back and he didn't mind this at all. Actually he found it quite flattering. Didn't hurt his ego much as well.

"Meredith," Cristina said as she tried to wake her best friend. "Meredith!" she repeated and tapped Meredith's head. "Tea," she said as Meredith grudgingly opened her eyes.

"Oh thanks," she said and sat upstraight before she took the hot cup from Cristina and carefully sipped it. Then Izzie and George emerged from the kitchen, George bringing some cookies and two cups for him and Cristina and Izzie bringing the teapot and her own cup. They sat down on the floor around the low table after Izzie had put on some background music.

"So how are you feeling Meredith?" Cristina asked.

_My wrist is hurting. I have a hole in my face. I've been humiliated in front of the people I work with. In front of my boss. Some crazy guy tried to kill me with scissors. And I'm still scared. And I'm exhausted and I want to be put in a coma._

"A bit sore here and there but that's all. Tired," Meredith replied. She was too tired to even speak in full sentences so she'd leave it at 'sore' and 'tired'.

"I can imagine," said George.

"I think I'm going upstairs when I've finished my tea if you guys don't mind," Meredith said and glanced at her friends.

"We don't mind," Cristina answered for all of them.

"Do you want one of us to stay with you?" Izzie asked as she grabbed another cookie.

"No thanks. I'll be okay," Meredith smiled. "But guys- thanks. For everything. For being my friends. You're really great friends."

"You're welcome," Cristina replied and took another gulp from her tea. It didn't seem to mind her at all that it was still hot and she received an oblivious look from Derek, who wondered how it was possible that she didn't burn her mouth but eventually concluded that this was Cristina Yang and that she was an exceptional person. And in quite a scary way sometimes.

"Definitely welcome," said Izzie.

"Yeah definitely," added George.

"Don't I get thanked?" Derek asked indignantly and his gaze met Meredith's.

Meredith smirked and turned to Izzie.

"He wants me to thank him too."

Izzie grinned and turned to Derek.

"You'll get your thank you when she's had a little rest_ doctor_."

Izzie held up her hand and Meredith high-fived it. Everyone laughed. Typically Izzie.

"Well, let me put this patient of mine to rest then," Derek put his cup on the table, "I'd love to be a charming prince and carry you upstairs but it would cost me my back. Not that you're heavy of course."

"I'm perfectly able to walk," Meredith smiled at Derek and cupped his face with her hands and pecked him on his cheek. She got off his lap and Derek offered Meredith his hand. She took it and followed him upstairs.

"Derek my prince, your princess is in need of a hot bath." Meredith said teasingly.

"Whatever you wish."

"Lots of soap?"

"Naturally."

Meredith kissed him.

"Thanks. I'll be right there."

After Meredith had taken her bath Derek had put clean underwear and pyjamas on her bed. When she stepped into the room wearing nothing but a white towell wrapped tightly around her tiny form Derek was taken aback by the sudden rush of love spreading through his body and walked up to his girl.

"How come you look so gorgeous every second of the day?" he whispered in her ear before lifting her up and burrying his nose in her hair.

"God you smell good."

"Derek stop it!" Meredith chuckled.

"Okay," Derek said and gently laid her down on the bed.

_I love him. I love him. I love him._

"Anything else?" he quested.

_I love you Derek._

"Maybe a massage?" he suggested as he looked into Meredith's sparkling eyes and saw she was as hopelessly in love with him as he was with her.

Meredith rolled on her stomach.

"Please," she said.

"Whoa you're tensed darling," Derek noticed as he began rubbing her back and shoulders after he'd exposed her back.

"Good. Make it go away," Meredith answered and closed her eyes.

_Doctor's hands..._

After a few minutes she was sound asleep and Derek replaced the towell by the covers of her bed. He kissed Meredith goodnight on her forehead and quietly closed the door behind him as he left the room.

"I love her," he said to himself and shook his head.

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And a little more fluff... How's my spelling and grammar by the way? The thought 'doctor's hands' is a reference to the story 'Doctor's hands' which is really fluffy and romantic and cute. Okay from now on you can tell me what you want to happen and I will write your fantasies, hehe (if I think it fits the story of course). So any suggestions are welcome! And thank you all so much for reviewing! It keeps my spirit up and my writing going! Do continure R&R'ing! 


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter nine: Ever-So-Understanding, Always-Being-There-For-You Friends

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Derek came downstairs and flopped down on the sofa.

"She's sleeping," he told the others.

"Yes but for how long?" Izzie asked no one in particular and then turned to Derek. "Want another cup of tea?"

"Yes please. Thank you Izzie," he said as Izzie poured him his tea and handed him the cup.

"What do you mean 'yes but for how long'?" asked George.

"The blow always comes later," Derek told him. "She may suffer from nightmares, be very jumpy when someone comes up from behind her, scared of surgical scissors, see Raiswick everywhere, get depressed and hide from the world or try to be up-beat all day long while she's really not okay," Derek sounded like a doctor but then he sighed and took a sip of his tea and gazed around at the interns. "The hostage isn't exactly over yet," he said softly.

"But... we'll be there for her, right?"

"Yes George. I'm afraid that's all we'll be able to do for her. And maybe that won't be enough still. She might need counselling. All depends on how well she's able to handle the aftermath."

"She's very able to handle the aftermath," Cristina defended her best friend.

"I think it best if one of us just stays with her during the day so she won't be alone and gets frightened or anything," Izzie said.

"I'll tell Miranda one of you will stay with her. She'll understand. At any rate she'll just have to follow my orders," Derek added and smiled.

Izzie put down her empty cup. "I'm just... worried about her. I mean, first that bomb situation and now this... it's a lot to digest you know."

Derek and Meredith's friends sat there talking about how they could best help Meredith get through this traumatic experience until after midnight. Then they decided they should all go to bed and get some good rest after a stressful day. Derek drove Cristina home and went back to his own trailer.

Izzie peeked into Meredith's room and made sure she was still soundly asleep before she went to her own room. George tidied the living room and quickly did the dishes before he, also, checked on Meredith before flopping down on his own bed and gratefully closing his eyes.

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With a gasp Meredith sat upstraight. She bewilderedly shot her gaze through the room. After she concluded that this was her own room and she was safe her panting lessened.

_Oh crap._

She held her hand against her heart and felt it racing inside her chest.

_I'm never going back to sleep._

Meredith took a deep breath and calmed herself down. The covers had slid off her shoulders and small goosebumps appeared on her skin and Meredith noticed she was still naked.

_I must have fallen asleep in the middle of a massage! By Derek! Crap until the end of time!_

She also noticed the clothes on her bed and gratefully grabbed them and put them on. Letting the comfortable pyjamas warm her up, she also got a pair of warm socks from her drawer and put them on, too.

_Coffee. Strong, black, masculine coffee. And ice cream. Cold, delightful, girly-pink strawberry ice cream._

Meredith made as little sound as she could while descending the stairs and opening the fridge. Izzie had been sleeping lightly to pick up every sound coming from Meredith's bedroom though.

"Hey," Meredith was eating another spoonful of chocolate ice cream when Izzie entered the kitchen.

"Hey honey," Izzie said, "You okay?"

Meredith swallowed a large gulp of black coffee.

"Nightmare."

"Bummer. I presume you're not planning on sleeping tonight?"

"Not just tonight. I'm not ever sleeping again."

Meredith looked at the steaming fresh coffee and the basket of ice cream at the counter and imagined the amounts she was going to need to stay up for the rest of her life.

"All right then," Izzie stated and got herself a cup and filled it with coffee after which she got herself a large spoon and stuck it in the basket with ice cream. "I'm keeping you company."

"For the rest of your life?"

"I won't even be able to sleep. Do you think I can just stay in bed let alone sleep when I know you're eating all the strawberry ice cream by yourself? No way. It will hurt me. I'll smell it and I'll hear it melting in your mouth. It will keep me awake."

"Izzie, you really don't have to do that for me. Besides you have work tomorrow. You have patients. You'll have work and patients for the rest of your life."

"I only have one patient right now," Izzie insisted and let the ice cream melt on her tongue. "Oh god this is good."

"You don't mind staying up with me?"

"Not as long as we share this ice cream. Come on. Let's watch a funny movie," Izzie reached for the basket of ice cream but Meredith snatched it away and passed her.

"I'll take the ice cream," she smirked triumphantly. Izzie grabbed the coffee instead and followed Meredith into the living room.

They ate strawberry ice cream until their stomachs were frozen and drank an uncountable number of cups of coffee to melt them while they laughed till they were sure they each had a six-pack from contracting their abs all night long. Eventually, when the fresh light of day came shining in from behind the windows, they fell asleep together on the sofa, Izzie's hand holding her spoon hanging down next to the sofa and Meredith's hair covering her face.

"Whoa!" Meredith jumped up startled when she felt the nearby breathing of a stranger. Then she saw the shocked look on George's face and she relaxed and ran a hand through her hair. "You scared me, George!"

"I know!" George exclaimed. He was scared by Meredith in return. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry for doing that. I was just trying to see if you were still asleep. Your hair covered your eyes you see."

"I see!" Meredith answered exasperated. "Thanks for waking us George. We just fell asleep an hour ago!"

George was about to apologize but looked at Izzie and said: "I only woke _you_ up. Look at Izzie."

Meredith turned around to find her friend snuggled up in the corner of the sofa hugging a pillow and sound asleep. The spoon lay on the floor next to her.

"I was loud. You were loud. How come she's still asleep?"

"She probably needs it. Anyway, I'm off to the hospital and Bailey gave you, well, Izzie the day off. Of course you have the day off. In fact Bailey sounded sincere when she said that you should take your time and come back only when you're ready." George paused and looked around. Then he went and came back with a plaid and gently draped it over Izzie and Meredith.

"There. Now you should get some rest. I have to go. Call me anytime. Anytime okay?" George said and clumsily pecked Meredith on her forehead.

"You're a sweetheart George," Meredith said and smiled at him. "Have a nice day and I'll see you tonight."

"Yeah I'll ask doctor Shepherd and Cristina to come over, too."

"You do that George," Meredith answered and laid her head back on the sofa. She heard George get his car keys and open and close the door as he left the house. She closed her eyes.

_I may hate roommates, but I love my friends._

_

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_Firstly a huge thank you to all of you who have been reviewing since I posted the first chapter!!! You know who you are. And I can tell you that after this chapter there will be... well... complications and situations. I only have one more thing to say and that is that I don't know how much longer people are enjoying and reading this story so I will wait for approximately ten reviews per chapter before I upload the next, and if I won't get them I will end this story probably very fluffy. But you guys thanks for the support! And enjoy, I love writing for you! R&R! 


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter ten: A Special File?

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"Meredith?" Derek stuck his head around the corner and peeked into the living room. It was empty. "Izzie?" He gazed into the kitchen. So they weren't cramming themselves with strawberry ice cream like George said they probably would. What else could they be doing?

Derek put his bag on the floor in the hallway and mounted the stairs. "Meredith?" he exclaimed a little louder now. "Meredith!" Where was she?

Then the door to Meredith's bedroom opened and Izzie came out and paced towards Derek.

"Sh!" she looked exasperated and pressed her forefinger against her lips to shut him up. "Don't be so loud, she's finally fallen asleep. Although 'collapsed' would be a better way to describe the way she fell onto the bed and... wait a minute; what are you doing here?" Izzie cocked her head to the side and sniffed, "And what am I smelling?"

Derek sniffed too. "I don't smell anything," he said, confused. "And I came here for-"

"Oh yes you do," Izzie interrupted and excitedly smiled, "Did you bring strawberry ice cream doctor Derek Shepherd?"

Derek frowned. "Well George said- hold on a second how can you _smell_ strawberry ice cream?"

"You've bought us strawberry ice cream, didn't you? Where is it?"

"Why- it's in the hall downstairs," he answered and wondered how it was possible that someone could smell strawberry ice cream from such a distance. Women kept surprising him. You think you got them figured out but you never really do. While Derek was thinking this Izzie had sprinted down the stairs and cried out as she apparently had found his present.

"Save some for Meredith! And be quiet she's sleeping!" Derek called and shook his head.

Sometimes he wished he was invisible. When a patient had died on his table and he told the family and their world collapsed in front of his eyes he wished he could disappear. But now he wished he could be invisible so he could shadow Meredith, spy on her. To see what was really going on inside her head. To see the expression on her face when she was alone and she didn't have to pretend that she was fine. Because whether the blow had yet to come or it had already, no one had just gone through something like Meredith had and was as up-beat as she was. No one.

So Derek decided to go into Meredith's room, ignoring the fact that Izzie would probably kill him if he woke Meredith up. He took off his long black coat and scarf and hung it over a chair sitting in the hallway. Then he quietly walked over to Meredith's bedroom door and managed to open it without making a sound. He let his eyes wander through the dark room. There were a few empty baskets of what must have been strawberry ice cream on the floor and a pile of DVDs on the night table. The covers of the bed rose and fell steadily and the bump indicated there was a person underneath them.

Meredith! Derek felt his heart jump in his chest as he realized the tiny woman in the bed belonged to him. He wanted to kiss her soft lips, caress her warm cheeks, rest his hands on her waist as she felt so fragile under his touch yet so strong as he looked in her eyes. He wanted to scoop her up in his arms and cuddle her, make out passionately, slide his hands over her frail form and let their skin meet. But his girl was hurt now and he wanted to make it stop. Derek frowned and walked over to the bed. There she was, his angel, sound asleep and, much to Derek's surprise, looking peaceful.

He carefully stretched out one hand and brought it to Meredith's hand lying beside her head, her fingers relaxed. Derek enveloped her fingers with his own and gently kissed the back of her hand. Then he brought his other hand to Meredith's face, stroking her shoulder and neck. Suddenly Meredith jerked away her head and hand. The fear in her eyes broke Derek's heart for it was the same look she'd had when Raiswick was holding her hostage.

"Who- Derek?" Meredith whispered.

Derek smiled. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up. You can go back to sleep."

Meredith glanced at his hand which hadn't moved and quickly put hers back in it. She pulled him onto the bed to lie beside her.

_Thank god you're here. You have to protect me doctor Derek My Boyfriend. That's your job. Hold me and never let me go. Except when you're getting me strawberry ice cream._

"Stay with me," Meredith whispered and snuggled up against him. He wound his fingers in her hair and kissed her head.

"I'm here. I'll protect you."

"I'm not going back to sleep by the way. Falling asleep was a mistake. I'd rather live on coffee than going back to sleep," she said in his shirt.

Derek let her look up at him. "Why aren't you going back to sleep?"

Meredith smirked and narrowed her eyes. Derek always thought she looked a little like Renée Zellweger when she did that. He found it adorable. "Nightmares..." Meredith said.

"Why are you smiling? We can talk about that you know."

"The nightmare stopped. You came in. I want to talk to you. I want to cuddle with you. I want to kiss with you. I want to be with you." Meredith hugged Derek's chest and pressed her body against his.

"I'm very glad your nightmare stopped but it shouldn't have been there in the first place. Want to tell me about it?"

"No..."

_Please don't make me tell._

"What happened in it?"

"Stuff..."

_This is embarrassing. Derek stop this._

"Meredith you know you can talk to me. Please. You think you can pretend it never happened by not speaking about it, by just ignoring it but you won't make it go away. You can't. You can lock it up but it will still be there. Now I'm here to help you talk about it. We all are. We all know what happened because we were there," Derek paused and sighed, "Okay why don't you just tell me one thing. One feeling. Come on Meredith."

"It's a state."

"What?"

"It's not a feeling. It's no emotion. It's a state," Meredith said simply.

"Okay," Derek replied and stroke her hair. "That's good."

_Fine. Now stop talking about it. Reliving it in nightmares is enough for me. It sucks._

"Now you tell me another thing tomorrow. We'll take it in steps. Nice and slow. You don't have to tell me another thing right now if you don't want to."

_Crap. Now I'm supposed to say: "Thank you for being so understanding but I can handle it and I could tell you even over three sentences today. It's no big deal." Instead I say:_

"Everything's crap. You are crap."

"I'm crap?" Derek said with disbelief.

"Yes you're crap. Because here you are holding me and being kind to me and I have nothing to offer you back. And I'm being a pain in the butt because I won't just tell you my nightmares and feelings like a good girlfriend would. See? I'm crap too!"

"No honey you're not crap. I'm not crap. Beside your nightmares, what else is crap?"

_I hate it how he knows just how to make me say things I don't want to tell him._

Meredith sat upstraight and said in an angry voice: "It's crap that I get scared and that I was humiliated in front of everyone. It's crap that I keep looking behind me because I think someone's there. He's there. And I remember things. I remember things I've forgotten! And that is crap too. You want to know what else is crap? It's crap that I don't feel safe until he's locked up and suffering because if those crappy cops still have their job he will try again and get away. He'll escape and come after me. And that's bullshit and I know it but I... I don't know what the hell's wrong with me Derek!"

Meredith crawled back in his arms and cried on his shoulder.

"Sh, it's okay," Derek hushed her. "It's okay to share your fear with other people. It will help you. And all this crap will go away."

"Hello?" a familiar voice sounded from downstairs. Meredith and Derek heard someone close the door.

"Hey Cristina!" they heard Izzie exclaim.

"It's Cristina," Meredith said.

"You want to say hello?"

"Of course I do. She's my best friend."

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine."

"Okay."

"But just to be sure I'm going to clean up my face."

"We'll be downstairs."

"Good."

Meredith disappeared into the bathroom and Derek descended the stairs and said hello to Cristina.

"Hey Derek," she greeted him back. "I have a quick question for you."

"Shoot," Derek said as he and Cristina flopped down on the sofa in the living room.

"Do you have Meredith's file?"

"No. Why?"

"I wanted to get it to see if she was allergic to any sleep medication but it wasn't there. The office had just opened and Sally said it was still locked before she arrived. And I was thinking since you would be able to get your hands on a key maybe you'd had the same idea and got it before me."

Derek frowned. "No, I haven't been in there for months."

Cristina shrugged. "Okay."

"I wonder who could have Meredith's file then?"

"It's probably just lost in the archive."

"You should ask Sally to look it up on the computer tomorrow."

"I did."

"And?"

"She is not allergic to any sleep drugs."

"Good. What do you suggest?"

"Diphenhydramine."

"Very good. How are you going to convince Meredith she needs to sleep?"

"Kick her butt."

"That sounds- what?"

"Let the master do the job. You'll see. She'll want sleep. She'll need it."

"Just be gentle."

"I will. A little."

Their conversation was suddenly stopped by Meredith's footsteps on the stairs.

"Hey Cristina!" she smiled.

"There's my girl! You look... exceptional today," Cristina said and smirked at Meredith. She noticed that her friend was going through a rough time and she wanted to be there for her but she wouldn't push her. If Meredith needed her help she'd ask for it. And if she didn't, Cristina always had her ways of convincing people they did need help.

"Thanks. Thank you. One of the side effects of watching DVDs all night long and eating loads of strawberry ice cream I guess."

"If that works for you," Cristina said indifferently and shrugged.

"See, this is why we're friends," Meredith said flopping down beside Cristina, "You get me. You let me make my own choices."

"I never said I 'get' you."

"But you let her make her own choices. Even if they're not good for you. Hi everyone!" Izzie emerged from the kitchen carrying a tray with coffee and cookies.

"Izzie! What did you do with my ice cream?" Derek asked.

"Oh I just ate it all. Haha only joking. Of course I didn't eat it even I have been told manners. I put it in the freezer and I made us all a cup of coffee."

Derek smiled apologizingly yet charmingly at her.

Meredith kissed him.

"Strawberry ice cream is my favourite!"

"I know. It's kind of hard to miss."

"I love you!"

"I love you too honey," Derek said and their noses touched each other.

By the end of the evening George had finally come home and Derek and Cristina decided to go home as well. Before she stepped out of Derek's car, Cristina shared her anxiety with him.

"It's kind of a funny coincidence that of all files Meredith's should be missing, don't you think?"

"I'll find it tomorrow. Don't worry."

"Okay," Cristina replied and slammed the door shut behind her.

* * *

Ha! I'm figuring out a new plot and it's dark and twisty... Anyways I wanted to let you know that I in fact did research the sleep drug and it will play a big role in what's to come... Will you please keep reviewing? The more I get the faster I'll update because the more I get the more motivated I will be. Hehe. Oh and by the way: would you like Meredith to be kidnapped or is that a little too much? Hope you enjoyed this chapter! 


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter eleven: Diphenhydramine At Last**

**

* * *

**It was almost lunch time when Derek found Cristina just stepping out of the room of a patient. He was walking down the hall reading a chart. 

"Hey," he said as he abruptly stopped when he spotted her.

"Hey," Cristina replied.

"I found Meredith's file."

"Seriously? Where was it?"

"I found it under the G of 'Grey'."

"Seriously? It sure wasn't there yesterday."

"Seriously? Because Sally said she hadn't seen anyone beside you and another intern enter the office."

"Who was the other intern?"

"A normal looking guy."

"Well that narrows it down."

Derek grinned. "Good luck. And have a good day detective!"

"Yeah. I will!" Cristina called after him. She was going to find out what that intern needed with Meredith's file. But first she was going to call her friend to tell her they had an appointment that afternoon. Looking at her watch, Cristina noticed that it was lunchtime and she headed towards the phone.

That afternoon a car stopped in front of Meredith's house. She and George had watched some of her mother's surgical tapes and cleaned the bathroom. And, of course, shared the ice cream Derek had brought with him the night before. Now they were drinking coffee. The doorbell rang and George opened the door.

"Cristina!" he exclaimed when he saw her.

"Move. I'm not saying hello until I get this thing off my back."

George quickly stepped aside and let Cristina pass.

"What is that thing on your back?" Meredith asked surprised as Cristina entered the living room and dropped the mat on the floor.

"We're going to have to make some room in here."

"What are we going to do?"

"This is called a mat and you and I are going to work out. Are you wearing comfortable clothes? Good. Now help me move this table."

Cristina started to move the furniture and Meredith joined her. Eventually, they had cleared a big empty space in the room where Cristina laid down the mat.

"I still don't know what you're up to."

"Martial arts."

"Martial arts?"

"Yeah. I'm going to teach you. If you're able to defend yourself the right way you'll feel much more safely. George get that grin off your face and come here."

"What? But I... I don't... Oh god," said George, who was leaning against the doorframe, in a high voice and stepped onto the mat.

"Attack me," Cristina said. "Don't be soft."

"No _you_ be soft!" George snapped and prepared to run into Cristina. She floored him in a second.

"Ouch," George moaned as he got up to his feet.

"Act like a man. Your turn Meredith," Cristina was getting excited.

"No way."

"Yeah come on!" Cristina insisted and pulled Meredith on the mat. "Stand firmly."

"Okay but watch out for my wrist. I'm injured you know."

Meredith braced herself hesitantly and Cristina pushed her. She stumbled backwards.

"I know. Come on I said firmly."

Meredith adjusted her position but Cristina didn't seem pleased with it. She sighed in exasperation.

"I can't believe I actually took the afternoon off to do this," she mumbled and showed Meredith how to do it right.

Meredith spread her feet and slightly bent over.

"Like this?"

Cristina pushed her again.

"Yeah that's good," she said. "Okay George you're dismissed. Go do whatever it is that you like."

George wished Meredith good luck and then left the room quickly.

Three hours later Meredith and Cristina sank down into the sofa, which they had put back in its place.

"You're doing pretty well for someone as light as you," Cristina complimented, yes complimented, Meredith.

"Thank you," Meredith said triumphantly. Then she sighed and closed her eyes. "God you made me tired."

"Well, class is over for today. You can go get some sleep. I'll watch your mother's surgical tapes."

"Yeah I w- oh crap no! What did I do? I can't sleep!" Meredith smacked her forehead.

"Sure you can," Cristina replied dryly.

"No you don't understand. I have to stay awake!"

"Mer, listen. Everyobody has problems. You have kind of a big one right now but you're only going to make it worse this way. Not sleeping... Give me a break."

"Cristina, you are not allowed to tell this to anyone, but I'm having these horrible nightmares. That's why I can't sleep!"

"Can't or won't? Besides, everybody knows you're having nighmares, which is normal when you're going through the stuff you are. And that's okay, but you have to fight it. Be a woman. No seriously go to sleep right now and fight the jackass."

"It's not as easy as you make it sound Cristina."

"Hey Mer, I don't know for how much longer I can keep this counsellor thing up so hear me out okay? I can help you sleep. I can even read a book in your room while you're sleeping and wake you up if you seem upset in any way. I got you some pills that will make things easier for you to bear. Things like sleep. You okay with that?"

Meredith looked at her friend intently.

_Crap she's right. I'd hate to argue her. Especially after I've seen what she's capable of doing to another human being. Maybe those pills will affect my dreams as well. Just maybe they will._

"Okay," Meredith replied and stood up. "Give me one of those pills. Now," she demanded in a determined voice.

_I'll blame the agressive energy for this if the pills don't work the way I want them to._

"Want me to read in your room?" Cristina asked quickly giving Meredith the little box.

"Absolutely not. I wouldn't want you to get hurt when I'm fighting," Meredith said and turned towards the stairs and marched away.

"You go girl!" Cristina called after her.

"Yep!"

Meredith woke up the next morning feeling much better physically, which also made her feel better mentally. A little smile crossed her face.

_That's the best I've slept in days. I either had no nightmares or I simply don't recall having them. Those pills must really be working. Thank you Cristina! Speaking of Cristina, would she still be here? I hope Derek hasn't come by while I was asleep. I'd hate it if I missed him. Derek... I'm calling him today. I still owe him some 'things'._

She grinned as she realized how the context of owing him these 'things' was not what you'd think it would be.

_Anyway, we have to move on. The sun is ushering a new day. The sun has never disappointed us. Despite all the crap in the world it rises and shines. It's a good example._

Meredith threw away the covers and stepped out of her bed. She took a shower, got dressed and went downstairs to have breakfast. To her surprise, she saw Derek sitting at the kitchen table, reading a newspaper.

"Good morning," she smiled at his back.

He turned around and smiled back at her.

"Is it?" he asked.

Meredith nodded her head happily. Derek stood up and walked up to her.

"You look good."

"Thank you."

"You look well."

"Thanks."

"So Cristina got you to take those pills, didn't she?" Derek put his arms around her tiny waist and pulled Meredith closer.

"Oh yes. Yes she did," she chuckled. And they kissed.

"But why are you here?" Meredith asked softly as their lips finally parted. Derek tucked a piece of still damp hair behind her ear.

"I hate for it to be today, but the police still need to take your statement. They gave you a couple days to calm down first-"

"Did they?" Meredith interrupted him.

"Why it is kind of their mistake. The whole situation. They were supposed to protect you and they failed. So Miranda persuaded them that you would remember it fine after a few days to get round from it."

"Today?"

"Yes."

Meredith sighed.

"Okay."

Derek hugged her and Meredith rested her head against his safe shoulder.

"You think there will be a trial? I mean, do you think they'll make me testify?"

"Maybe. But don't worry. You can do it. You've been doing so great, this will be peanuts."

Meredith chuckled.

"Yeah. Sure. Peanuts."

* * *

Okay so this is a really short chapter in which not much seems to be happening. I needed to tie some loose ends though. The next chapter will be posted soon and I've figured out the whole plot now. (If you are curious, read the summary, I adjusted it.) Anyways thank you so much for the reviews and I won't ruin the suspense anymore, hehe. 


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter twelve: Paranoid

* * *

**

It had been two weeks since Meredith had been taken hostage at the hospital by her worst nightmare and it had been one week and a half since she had given her statement to the police. That actually helped her to get over it. Moreover it helped her to accept that it had happened to her. It was like when someone died, a sudden event, and you cried for a week, you continued on your daily routine but your consciousness was blurred. Then the funeral came and you wished you didn't have to go. But you went anyway, what choice did you have, and after having cried your eyes out you were able to let it go and have peace with it. That was how Meredith felt. Except she hadn't gone to a funeral but had had to remember and share with the strangers in front of her every detail of the worst day of her life. And since everything was getting back to normal and her mind was clear, she was getting ready for her first day at work.

_Coat, keys, wallet... I wonder how people are going to act if they see me. Would they see me not as the slutty intern who dated her boss's boss but as the poor intern who almost died in a hospital room now? Somehow I like the first image better. Can't have everyone feeling sorry for me. Although, I would probably feel sorry for myself too if I wouldn't be myself. This is crazy. I have to go. Get back to my save routine of working my ass off. And feeling good afterwards. Coat, keys, wallet..._

Finally, it was lunch that day and Cristina, Izzie, George and Meredith flopped down in their chairs.

"How's it going?" Cristina asked Meredith.

"Normal I guess. Except I'm not used to the intense labour anymore. I'm exhausted already and it's only lunch time," Meredith replied as she opened her orange juice and took large thirsty gulps of it.

"Poor thing," Cristina said. Meredith knew for a fact this was meant only half mockingly and that her friend really did mean to say something nice only she had a reputation to uphold and she couldn't afford to get sentimental.

"You will go home if you need to, don't you?" Izzie quested retorically.

Meredith, who was frantically chewing on a sandwich, nodded her head. She was famished and she had to put up reserves for the rest of the day. There would be no time to eat while she was hurrying from one patient to another.

"Hi doctor Shepherd! I mean Derek," George suddenly exclaimed. Meredith turned around sharply and there he was: her McDreamy.

"Hi," he answered George.

"Hi," Meredith said to Derek beaming.

"Hi," he said back to her.

"Hi!" Izzie said.

"Hello!" Cristina said exasperated.

Derek got himself a chair and sat with the interns.

"Hello," he said and Cristina shot him a deadly look. "I happened to stop by."

"Sure you did," Cristina murmered.

"Don't mind her, Derek," Izzie said, "She missed out on surgery today."

"Really? What happened?"

"Patient died. Had to do it before the surgery, _my _surgery, my what-I-was-looking-forward-all-day surgery," Cristina answered in a sulky tone.

"I'm sorry about that," Derek replied sincerely, "but maybe I can cheer you up."

"You can't."

"You mean even removing a nail from a guy's brain can't? Why, then I'm out of tricks."

"I'm in!" said Cristina sharply.

"That's great. You'll have to prep him though. Surgery's in two hours."

"I will doctor Shepherd. Thank you."

"Please call me Derek."

"I'm a professional. Don't be unprofessional. You're my boss's boss. I call you doctor Shepherd not just 'Derek'." Cristina made a face while finishing her sentence.

"Suit yourself," Derek shrugged and turned towards Meredith. "And how are you doing?"

"Great," Meredith answered with her mouth full of salad.

"I can see that," said Derek and winked at her.

_He's so sexy when he does that. I love it!_

Meredith smiled at him mysteriously. If only he knew what she was thinking about him all day he wouldn't be sitting there so calmly. They would probably be making out in an empty room by now.

After lunch Meredith had an hour for herself. Bailey said that all the work was being done so she could take a break for an hour and then ask again.

_Yeah right. I'm guessing it was Izzie who told her I was feeling tired and since I'm supposed to be this broken hostage victim I need to be handled with care. Maybe, just for fun, I should suddenly burst into tears and throw myself on Bailey to cry on her shoulder. She would be so embarrassed but she'd have to handle me with care and let me wet her precious white coat with my tears._

Meredith grinned as she opened the door to the locker room. She was going to get her iPod and listen to some music to distract her from her tiredness. The last thing she would do was to confirm the assumption that she had been weakened and go home early.

Mechanically she unlocked and opened her locker and stuck her hand in it to rumble through the mess that was inside to find her iPod somewhere in the back, but as she closed her fingers around the thin, oblong object and pulled her arm out of the locker, her eye fell on an envelope that apparently had been slipped in underneath the door. Meredith cocked an eyebrow and retrieved the envelope as well as the iPod before she closed her locker door and sat down on the bench.

_Is this some love note from Derek? That's very unlike him. You know, he is a romantic guy. More in a physical way though, if you know what I mean._

She put on the song 'The Words' by Psapp and opened the envelope. Inside was a folded piece of paper. It wasn't pink or red, so probably no love letter from Derek. What could it be? Meredith's curiousity grew and she unfolded it. The note was written in a clear but maybe a bit shaky hand and it didn't look familiar to Meredith.

_Meredith Grey,_

_we must meet tonight at eight at Joe's._

_You're about to make a big mistake and I want you to know everything before you go through with it._

_You and I have something in common and what you're about to do will affect my whole life._

_I'm sure you'll understand that I'd like to talk to the person who's going to do that to me._

_Don't worry though, I'm not out to hurt you, if you don't believe me just think about it:_

_we're meeting at rush hour at Joe's._

_There will be many people._

_Even if I wanted I couldn't hurt you._

_Anyway, please come._

_Please come alone._

_Yours sincerely._

_What the hell is this? Who wrote this? How did this person get into the locker room? How did he know which locker's mine? And what is he talking about? I don't know of any important decisions I'm about to make. Meeting him at Joe's? Tonight? Could this be a patient's relative that wants to talk to me about a treatment? Hm. I'm not treating anything out of the ordinary right now._

Meredith turned off her iPod and put it back in her locker. She was going to find Derek and talk to him about this mystery man writing her notes and trying to meet her.

It wasn't long before she found him looking at pictures of someone's brain with Cristina. Meredith opened the door and cleared her throat. Derek nor Cristina seemed to have noticed her.

"Derek?"

He turned around surprised.

"Meredith! What's wrong?"

Meredith frowned.

"Should there be something wrong?"

"I don't know. Is there?"

"I don't know. But I just found this envelope in my locker and it's kind of weird." Meredith stuck out her hand holding the envelope and Cristina grabbed it.

"That's just sick," she said after reading it. Derek quickly took the note and read it as well.

"When did you find this?" he asked.

"Just a minute ago."

Derek read the note again.

"You're not planning on going to Joe's are you?" he quested in a low voice.

"No! No, I just wanted you to read it. I'll throw it away. I'm sorry to have bothered you. You can go back to work now," Meredith answered quickly and put the note back in the envelope. Then she turned and opened the door.

"I'll see you tonight!" Derek called after her before the door closed behind Meredith.

Meredith looked for the nearest dustbin and threw away the envelope.

_What do you mean: paranoid...?_

She laughed at her own reaction and tucked her hair behind her ear and greeted one of the cleaners as she started down the hallway.

* * *

Yeah who would that be? Things aren't always as they seem... and sometimes there's more going on than meets the eye...  
Incidentally, I happen to know that this story is read by at least 45 people since they have a Story Alert on this one and I'd like you all to REVIEW! Please! It took me a lot longer to write this and to come up with a new plot than it takes to review. Criticism always appreciated as well as compliments of course! To everyone who's been reviewing: thank you so much, you're really helping me to keep writing!!! 


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter thirteen: Locked Up**

**

* * *

**

After her free hour had finished, Meredith had worked the rest of the day and was more than exhausted when she finally came home. 

_Sleep... please... But I can't go to bed yet..._

Meredith moaned in despair.

_Derek is coming over tonight. I almost forgot!_

And indeed, only half an hour later Derek knocked on the door, startling Meredith who had fallen asleep on the sofa.

"Hi," he said smiling charmingly as Meredith opened the door.

Meredith kissed him and then grabbed his hand to lead him inside.

"Derek. I'm so happy you're here but I'm so tired," she said as she swung her arms around his neck and leaned against him. He put his arm around her waist and the other under her knees and scooped her up.

"You could have gone home early you know," he told her.

"Yes. I know. But I'm not weak. I can work you know."

Derek carried her into the living room and flopped down on the sofa. Meredith, sitting in his lap, snuggled up against him in his strong, safe arms.

"Maybe you shouldn't work full days yet," Derek suggested. "It wouldn't mean you are weak, just that you need a little more time."

"I don't need more time. I took two weeks. That's enough for me."

"Are you sure Meredith? Because you can't have yourself working until you get a burn-out. Take longer breaks."

Meredith sighed.

"I'll be fine."

They sat like that for five minutes, Derek holding Meredith in his arms, rocking back and forth a little, stroking her arm, listening to her breathing.

"Meredith?" Derek said softly, "Meredith? Are you sleeping?"

He got no response so he took a close look at her face, which was relaxed. Her eyes were closed. Derek could have laid her down on the sofa, gotten her a blanket and quietly left, but he enjoyed her steady breathing too much to let her go. It felt like they were one, like they were warming each other, like they were breathing in the exact same air and enjoyed nothing more than the feel of one another. Derek slowly moved his legs onto the sofa and kicked off his shoes. He kissed Meredith's warm, soft skin and enveloped her frail form with both his arms. God this felt so right. Derek wished nothing would ever happen again that would hurt his girl. He would protect her the best he could. He breathed in her scent again before he rested his head on the sofa and closed his eyes, too.

"Hey! Derek!" someone was poking Derek's arm. "Doctor Shepherd!"

"What?" he moaned as he looked through his eye lashes at the face above him. By the blonde hair he could tell it was Izzie leaning over him. He felt Meredith lying on his left arm, sound asleep. She looked like a doll. He turned his gaze back to Izzie.

"Should I get up and leave?" he whispered.

Izzie shook her head. "No you can stay. It's just that Meredith needs her sleeping pills. Has she taken any?"

"No."

"Well she should."

"Okay," Derek slowly pulled his arm back from underneath Meredith's head and stood up from the sofa. Izzie handed him a glass of water and a pill.

"Thanks."

"Just wake her up," Izzie whispered, and Derek started to softly shake Meredith awake.

"What?" she said in an annoyed voice.

"You haven't taken your meds yet," Derek replied softly.

"Oh. Yeah. Forgot," she mumbled and took the glass and the pill he offered her. "Hi Iz," she added as she noticed Izzie's presence in the room.

"Hey Mer," the latter one replied. "Why didn't you go up to your room?"

"We fell asleep."

"I can see that."

"We'll go upstairs now."

"Good idea."

When Meredith had swallowed her pill and finished her glass of water she and Derek said goodnight to Izzie and left the living room. Upstairs they didn't care to brush their teeth or put on some pyjamas, they just took off some clothes and dropped down on the bed, not able to wait another minute before being back in each other's arms.

The next day started off normal: Derek, Meredith, George and Izzie had breakfast together while going through the house picking up their stuff and getting dressed. They went to the hospital in two cars: Derek's and Izzie's. Having arrived there they each took on their daily routines of visiting patients, surgeries, sutures, prepping, et cetera.

Meredith had just assisted doctor Preston Burke in a surgery and was now changing in the interns's locker room. The door opened but she didn't look up to see who was entering and continued changing. Once she was finished and she still hadn't heard the door again, which meant no one that had just gone in had gone out, she wanted to see who it was and why this person didn't say hello.

_Probably having a rough day. I want to know who this is. Hm. I guess that's another side effect of 'the incident'. I seem to always have to know who's in a room with me. Which isn't weird, I guess. I guess not..._

"Hello?" Meredith stuck her head around the corner to look in the other aisle created by the rows of lockers. No one.

"Alex is that you? You're not funny!" No one in the other aisle either.

"Whoever this is please say something now. You see, I have this thing. I have this thing where I always want to know who's with me in a room when I'm alone... And I do martial arts!"

Suddenly the lights went off.

_Crap. That's it. I'm leaving._

Meredith quickly paced to the door and ran into it when it didn't open and she kept walking. She hit her head against the glass and carefully touched it with her fingertips.

"Ouch," she whispered in exasperation.

"I'm sorry..." Meredith jumped and turned around sharply. Right in front of her was a young man. He didn't wear a white coat nor did he wear scrubs. So he probably wasn't an intern.

"I'm sorry," he repeated without stepping away from her. He cocked his head to the side so that his bangs were thrown to the side of his face, covering only one eye now instead of two. He had brown eyes which were fixed on Meredith's and his gaze went right through her.

"I'm sorry, the door is locked. I didn't think anyone was still in here." He didn't move a muscle.

"I was in here. I called to see who was in here too. You must have heard me," Meredith said in a harsh tone. Her heart was still racing inside her chest.

He placed one hand on the door beside Meredith's head and smiled, showing perfectly white theeth.

"I guess I didn't hear you then."

"I guess not. Will you back off? I'm not feeling very comfortable right now."

He defensively held up his hands and took a step backwards.

"Thank you," Meredith said. "Could you open the door? I don't have a key."

He smiled, showing his white teeth again. "Sure. It should be right here in my pocket..." he said and started fumbling through his right pocket, then his left.

"Oops," he said apologizingly. "I think I've lost it. It has to be here somewhere."

Meredith placed her hands on her hips and cocked her head to the side.

"Yeah right," she said sarcastically. "Who are you? What were you doing here in the first place?"

In reply he bowed his head and disappeared behind the lockers. Meredith gazed through the room, still a bit confused. Then he appeared next to her all the sudden and she jumped. Again.

"You're very jumpy."

"Am not. You keep popping up out of nowhere; you're just trying to scare me."

"Yeah?" he said teasingly.

"Yes!" Meredith brought her face close to his. "I am sick of this game you seem to be playing. Don't play games with me. I'm not in a very good mood."

"All right. I was just cleaning."

"You were just cleaning."

"Yeah that's what I do. You should know. You said hello to me yesterday."

"I did, right?" the sarcasm was still evident in Meredith's voice.

"Yes you did. I'm a cleaner," he reassured her.

The air between them seemed to clear.

"Let's say I believe you," Meredith said, more at ease now.

"Let's say you do."

"Why did you lock us up in here?"

"I wanted some privacy," he explained simply.

"And now you've lost your key."

"I'm afraid so. I'll find it."

Meredith hit the switch so that the lights popped on.

"You do that," she said and smiled.

"As you please," he said and turned.

Meredith sighed. "Okay. I'll help you find it."

The two of them started scrutinizing the floor and dusty corners while talking.

"So what is your name?"

"Isaac. After Isaac Newton. My dad's all crazy about Physics. What's yours?"

"Meredith. I'm an intern."

"Really? For how long?"

"Oh I've been an intern for quite a while now. Kind of lost count."

"I've never seen you here."

"You haven't?"

"No."

"How long have you been working here?"

"About two weeks."

"That explains it all. I've been at home for two weeks."

"Why?"

"Nothing. Trouble sleeping and stuff. Stressed out I guess."

"Bummer. Must be hard not to be able to sleep."

"Well, I could sleep but it didn't appeal to me much then. Now I'm on sleeping meds."

"Really? I've been on them, too. For a while. What are you taking?"

"Diphenhydramine."

It was quiet for a moment.

"Yeah, me too," Isaac answered and then made a high sound.

"What is it?" asked Meredith.

"I've got it! I've found the key!"

Meredith stood up from the floor, carefully stretching her knees. Isaac was already at the door and turned the key in the lock. He opened the door and held it open for Meredith to pass through.

"Thank you," she smiled.

"Welcome. Nice meeting you."

"Yes you too! Bye!" Meredith waved and went off to see her next patient.

* * *

Hey again. I bet you thought other things were going to happen when you read this chapter's title than there actually have. If so, I'm sorry to disappoint you. I promise there will be more thrilling chapters. I'd love to hear what you THINK is going to happen (if it's too predictable I'll have to adjust the new plot a little, hehe). As always, I'll try to update asap, but I can't promise you anything because I'm very busy with school and everything. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and thanks for all the reviews! They make me so happy! 


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: The New Intern

* * *

**

While everyone was doing their jobs Cristina Yang sneaked away with a restroom excuse. Only she didn't go to the restroom but she went to see Sally. It had been bugging her that Meredith's file had been missing and no one seemed to be able to explain its disappearance and sudden reappearance. She quickly walked towards the nice and by all respected lady that had been working in Seattle Grace for longer than Cristina had been living. Should you need to know anything about the rumours and relationships and tragedies that were going on, she was your woman. This Cristina knew.

"Hey Sally," she greeted her with an exaggerated bright smile.

"Hello Cristina, what is it you want?" Sally answered, telling from Cristina's smile that she needed something from her.

"Well, you remember Meredith Grey's file was missing a couple days ago?"

"Yes honey, I do."

"I was wondering if you recalled seeing anyone but me entering the office that day. Doctor Shepherd said you saw another intern going inside."

Sally folded her hands and rested her chin on them while looking at Cristina as if trying to read her mind.

"Derek's right, I did see another person entering the office that day, before you. Now you must be wondering who that was, aren't you?"

"Yes. Yes, I am," Cristina responded with relief.

"I can tell you it was a young man, about your age, wearing a white coat and telling me he was a new intern. Now of course that seemed unlikely to me because I've seen interns drop out but never drop in, so to speak. I had never seen him before, you know. When I asked him about it he said he was busy and hurried inside, then came back out. If he took your friend's file he must have hid it under his coat or something because I didn't see him holding it."

"All right... Do you remember what he looked like?"

Sally unfolded her hands and sat back in her office chair.

"Blond. He was blond, blue eyes, I think. Light at any rate. He looked quite ordinary to me. A bit tall maybe. That's all the information I can give you."

Cristina planted her elbows on the desk and slightly leaned forward.

"And did you see anyone bring in a file?"

Sally thought about this for a moment.

"No, not recently. Not since that day except for doctor Shepherd and doctor Burke. I imagine they'd have told you if they'd taken Meredith's file. How's she doing by the way? I head what happened to that poor girl," Sally shook her head, "I can't believe the stories I hear about what happened in that room. You were there, too, weren't you Cristina?"

"Yes I was there. All the stories are true. It was unpleasant. Especially for Meredith. She's doing better now. But Sally I have to go. Izzie thinks I'm in the restroom right now and she'll come looking for me if I stay away too long. Thank you for everything. Have a nice day."

"You too honey!" Sally called after Cristina who started out the room.

That afternoon Cristina finally got Derek alone and went up to him to ask him about the new blond intern.

"You still playing detective Cristina?" he said smirking.

Cristina ignored this. "I just want to know who took my best friend's file and why. And I could figure it out much quicker if you'd just answer my question. If it's too hard for you I'll be happy to do some brain surgery on you to see if you actually have one."

Derek was shocked. Did she just say he was stupid? Cristina noticed the look on his face and rolled her eyes.

"A joke. That was a joke. Why don't people get my jokes? I'm a funny person," she said offended.

"All right all right. Forget it. I'll answer your question: unless nobody -like the Chief- has told me and he's been able to hide himself from my view for weeks there's no new intern. Let alone someone with that description. Okay?"

"Okay," Cristina replied. This was getting complicated. Why would anyone pretend to be an intern and steal Meredith's file only to bring it back a few hours later? What was in her file anyway that could be of whatever value to anyone?

"There weren't any weird things in Mer's file, right? Like... I don't know. Weak points? Allergies? No, no allergies you told me that."

"No I don't think so," Derek replied and frowned. "It is strange. I agree with you on that. But there's no information in it with which you could kill her or anything. Why, look what you make me do. Thinking the most crazy stuff. You do know that Raiswick," Derek spat out his name, "is in another hospital now with an army of guards keeping an eye on him, don't you?"

"Yeah I know. Just that missing file thing. It frustrates me. It's very annoying. I'm frustrated enough about other things. Anyway thanks for your help although it didn't actually help. I guess I'll see you today."

"Yeah you probably will. Bye then."

"Bye," Cristina said and left Derek alone.

By the end of that day Meredith was walking towards the locker room when she suddenly jumped at the sudden weight of a hand on her shoulder. She gasped and sharply turned.

"You're very jumpy," a familiar face said. Meredith felt a ball of anger forming in her stomach.

"Close your mouth your teeth are blinding me," she said through gritted teeth.

"I happen to like my teeth," Isaac answered.

"Why can't you stop scaring me?" Meredith said annoyed.

"Am I scaring you? Or are you just very jumpy?"

"I am NOT jumpy! How many times do I have to tell you that before you get it? I'm just tensed because I worked all day. Being an intern is hard work."

"Oh so cleaning isn't? You already have that God-complex Meredith?"

Meredith was taken aback by this accusation.

"No. Of course not," she answered in a softer voice. "I've just... Something happened recently and it made me jumpy. And rude. Sorry."

"That's okay. I'm sorry," Isaac said sincerely. "Listen if you ever need to talk to someone you can come to me, okay? I know we haven't known each other for a long time but if there's anything wrong I want to help you."

Meredith looked from the hand Isaac had reassuringly placed on her arm to his face.

_All right... Maybe he is a bit weird. But he seems like a nice enough guy. Right? Oh Meredith stop being paranoid. The guy's nice._

"That's very sweet of you. Thanks. I have to go," she said and gave him a sincere smile.

"Bye. Meredith."

The interns and Derek assembled at Joe's that evening to have a drink and a chat. Soon the conversation was about Isaac, or as Izzie suggested after Meredith told about his unnaturally white teeth, McShiny. Derek exaggeratedly laughed at this. Mockingly, even. Izzie winked at Meredith.

_Jealous. Wonderful._

The dim lightning combined with the scent of alcohol, a comfortable temperature and a day of hard work made Meredith sleepy.

"You guys, I either need a tequila or a bed," she said jokingly. But she wasn't joking.

"You must not drink alcohol Meredith. Didn't you read the prescription? That's dangerous," Cristina said sharply.

"Tell me what the effects will be. I'd like to compare the pain to the pleasure and make my choice."

"Well for starters there's the dosage you take in of both substances," Cristina started.

"No. Never mind. Make sure you get drunk and let me have some fun at any rate," Meredith interrupted.

"You're stoned already," Cristina murmered.

"What? I'm just sleepy."

"Meredith if you're tired I can take you home," Derek offered.

"No thanks. At least I won't have to take a pill to make me sleep tonight. Haha, he wants to take me to bed," Meredith somehow felt this was very funny. The others only raised an eyebrow at the comment.

"I think you shouldn't stop taking those pills yet, Mer," Izzie said. "It's only been just over two weeks and you can't use a sleepless night right now, can you? Those pills take time to go into effect. I wouldn't take the gamble yet."

Meredith sighed dramatically. "Why are you all so wise and concerned? Derek can I come sit with you?"

Derek stretched out his arms at her and Meredith flopped down next to him and flung her arms around his neck. He softly kissed her hair and folded her in an embrace.

Cristina leaned her arms on the counter and fixed a stare on the wall with bottles. She seemed still but inside her head was a lot going on. Somehow this all was very 'coincidental'. That Isaac, McShiny, a father who digs Physics, being too nice to Meredith. She would find out if Raiswick had any sons and if so, had one of them been seeing the dentist a little too often?

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I do realize this update took way too long and I apologise! I will try to update quicker next time. I'm still curious as to what you think is going to happen! Please R&R. But most importantly: enjoy! 


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: Frustration and a Mess

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**

"Meredith!" George waved in the air and came running towards Meredith who was just rushing out of a patient's room while frantically flopping through a file. She looked up at George.

"What?" she snapped.

_I just can't believe I didn't notice that allergy in her file. I totally messed up. In front of Bailey, of all persons. Thank God she came checking up on my patient while I was getting her meds. I don't even want to think about what could have happened..._

"Mer, Derek wants to see you," George told her.

"Did he tell you why?" Meredith asked exasperated. "Because I'm kind of busy right now. I just screwed up. In front of Bailey. I actually almost killed a patient by giving her a drug she's allergic to. And this is not my first mistake today..."

"Seriously? Didn't it say so on her charts? Or in her file? Didn't the patient herself tell you?" George added as he noticed the file in Meredith's hand.

"Yes, it says right here! It does! And she couldn't have told me because she's in a coma. Anyway, that's why I can't get my head around it. How could I not have noticed it? Nothing like this has ever happened to me before you know."

"Look, don't be too hard on yourself. You're human. Humans make mistakes. And the patient's fine," George tried to console Meredith. She looked exhausted. Again.

"I got lucky. I should have noticed it." Meredith sighed. "Anyway, where's Derek?"

"He's waiting by the coffee machine. Good luck," George said and softly but reassuringly pinched Meredith's arm.

"Are you the one who almost killed the lady in this room?" An angry looking man came pacing towards Meredith with his finger pointed at her. Meredith inhaled deeply to brace herself. The man's face grew red of frustration and this made him almost look funny since he had blonde hair and was wearing light coloured clothes. Somehow he reminded George of a lobster.

"Yes, sir. I'm sorry. It was my mistake," Meredith paused and George was angry with that guy being so hard on his friend. "I'm very sorry."

"Well that wouldn't have helped much if you killed her would it? What the hell, I want another doctor!" the man stated and jerked open the door and slammed it shut behind him.

"Are you okay?" George asked Meredith.

The latter one sighed. "Yeah."

"That guy did look a bit like a lobster." Meredith grinned at George's remark.

"Or a tomato in whipped cream," she smirked.

Meredith spotted Derek where George told her he would be, sipping on a steaming cup of coffee. She walked up to him.

"Hey. You wanted to talk to me about something?"

Derek smiled at her briefly before he took his cup in one hand and pointed his other in the direction of an empty hall.

"Glad you could come. Let's go somewhere quiet." They walked into the hall and Meredith wondered if he wanted to make out or if he had something serious and work-related he wanted to discuss. His tone indicated it was neither of those things.

"Meredith," he said sincerely, "Miranda just came to see me. She is worried about you. She told me that you're having a rather bad day. I think you know what she means by that."

_Crap. No making out today apparently._

Meredith crossed her arms in front of her body to keep Derek at a distance for he was obviously trying to be gentle with her and she refused to collapse in his arms crying.

"That I carried the wrong pager half day long so I was unreachable and Cristina had to do all my jobs? Or that when I finally found my own pager and finally had three minutes to goddamn pee the door was stuck and again Cristina was covering for me? _Or_ did she mean that I almost killed a patient in a coma because I somehow missed that she was allergic to freaking penicillin?" Meredith ranted.

"Meredith!" Derek shouted and grabbed her upper arms.

"And then there's this court thing, this stupid, crappy court thing that also tries to ruin my day although I'm not letting it because that is not even until tomorrow and some people think I shouldn't go and I think I should go and so do you, and so do my friends, so I'm going and everything's crap today and now you're being crap to me because you think I'm weak and I need you but I can do this my-SELF..."

"Meredith!" he shook her. "Listen to me!"

Meredith stopped trying to jerk herself loose and reluctantly looked at him.

"What?" she spat.

_Derek don't be sweet to me now. I am frustrated and I want to be angry._

"Meredith I think you should go home. These weeks that you've been working... they've really taken it out on you. Go home, get some rest."

"No. I can't do that," Meredith said and removed her arms from his grasp.

_Why does he think everything that's not a hundred per cent positive has to do with... with that? Everyone is allowed a bad mood every now and then. Or a sleepless night. Or to take sleep medicine to get their rest._

"Just go home, Meredith," Derek tried again.

"I'm fine. And I'm going back to work. I'm not messing up again," Meredith said in as an assuring tone as she could muster.

"I told you you weren't ready yet." Derek was losing his patience. He loved this woman but she could be so stubborn sometimes. Once she set her mind on something...

"I know you said that."

"Yeah well this shows that I was right, doesn't it?" Derek snapped.

Meredith sharply turned, knowing he was right but of course not wanting to admit it. She was far too stubborn for that. So instead she marched away and went back to work.

Derek nor Meredith said another word to one another for the rest of the day which didn't have what you'd call a positive effect on either one's mood. In fact, when Meredith once again happened to bump into Isaac, or McShiny, she felt like a time bomb that was going to explode any moment so when he urged her to tell him what was wrong she started to talk about everything that bothered her that day all at once. What she said didn't make much sense to Isaac so he suggested they'd meet that night at Joe's to talk about it. Meredith was happy to find someone that would just listen to her and didn't try to force their thoughts on her, so she agreed to meet him that night. Whether Derek would approve or not.

What she couldn't have foreseen, though, was that Isaac wouldn't be coming alone. Nor that she was about to get a good night's rest...

* * *

Hehehehe (evil grin). I know I'm a horrible person for leaving you with an ending like that, and you're going to hate me even more because I'll be gone on a short vacation until March second so you'll have to wait way too long. That much I realise. BUT you will love me when I get back because then I will have finished this story and I will post the last chapters at once. They will be long and suspenseful, I promise. I love you all!!! You're my drug, hehe. Anyways, enjoy this chapter and R&R! 


	16. Chapter 16

Like I promised...**

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**

**Chapter 16: Where´s Meredith?

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**

"Cristina! Hi. Have you seen Meredith?" Derek asked slightly worried.

"Hey. Derek. Funny you should ask me that for I'm actually looking for her myself," Cristina answered. Derek thought she looked nervous and gently grabbed her arm.

"Is everything all right?" he asked.

"Actually...," Cristina started saying, but then she changed her tone and didn't finish her sentence, "Don't you think she's been acting kind of weird today? I mean, as far as I know she's okay but she's had a bad day today. At any rate, you know that, but she seems stressed out. And I got this phone call that got me thinking. And worried. So I decided to keep an eye on Meredith today but somehow I can't find her now."

"Her shift ended yet?"

"Yes, about fifteen minutes ago. I think she may have left already, but why wouldn't she have said anything to me?"

"Hey guys," Izzie joined the two talking.

"Hey Iz, do you know where Meredith is?" Cristina asked her.

"Right now?" Izzie shrugged. "All I know is she's had a rough day and she's been talking to McShiny. She also told me not to wait for her tonight. Said she was getting a ride. And she emphasized she wasn't getting a ride from you, Derek."

"We had an argument today. She's not answering her cell phone. It's not just off, she's really not answering. She always answers my calls. Argument or not." Derek said.

Cristina gasped. "So she's gone? With that Isaac-guy? Damn!," for a moment Cristina seemed to be thinking so hard her head would crack. "Okay, I need to go check something. Don't wait for me, either. I'll wait for Burke to finish his shift and drive home with him."

"Cristina what's going on here?" Derek asked urgently, but Cristina had already ran off.

"Oh my god, is something wrong with Meredith?" Izzie asked with concern.

"So you don't know what Cristina's talking about?" Derek asked already knowing the answer.

Izzie sighed. "I haven't a clue."

"I'm going to look for her," Derek said determined and went to get his coat and carkeys.

"Wait! I'm going with you!" Izzie called after him. She was off in five minutes anyway.

As Derek and Izzie stepped into Derek's car only a couple minutes later, Cristina came running down the parking lot signing for them to wait.

"Izzie! Derek! Meredith... she left with Isaac. We must get to know where they went," Cristina told them. "I just checked it. He got off the same time as Meredith. And they've been talking so I'll bet she's with him. He's been hitting on her since the first day she met him."

For a moment there was a tensed silence between them, then Derek shook his head and turned off the ignition of his car.

"All right, let's go back and find out if anyone knows where they went." Derek and Izzie jumped out of the car and Derek locked it while they paced towards the main entrance of their beloved Seattle Grace Hospital.

"So where do we start?" Izzie asked as the doors closed behind them and the warmth of the hospital greeted them.

"We split up. Cristina you can try to find George and get him to help us. We must question everyone who might have caught a glimpse of them leaving together and the people they worked with today. Maybe they overheard something they said. I'll start with the desk staff, Izzie, you and George take Isaac's collegues and Cristina you question nurses and everyone else that had contact with Meredith today. We meet here in fifteen minutes." Derek had given the orders and the three of them sped off to their destinations.

Cristina found George; his shift hadn't ended yet but she persuaded Alex to take over George's tasks. They split up and George went to help Izzie, for Cristina was the only one that knew what Meredith had been doing that day.

By the time George found Izzie, she had prints of all the cleaning staff's schedules for that week. When the fifteen minutes were over, they hurried to the entrance to see if the other ones had had any luck.

Derek, George, Cristina and Izzie met at the front desk, where Derek was just thanking a member of the staff for her help.

"And? Anyone got anything?" he asked. He looked expectantly at the interns.

"Actually," George started to say.

"What? Actually what?" Derek interrupted.

"One of the women saw Meredith and Isaac leave together," George said. "She was the last person I asked before I came here."

The others gasped.

"She said Meredith was looking quite upset and Isaac had his arm around her shoulders," George continued. "She couldn't hear where they were going exactly, only that he would get her a nice cup of tea to calm down."

Derek's jaw dropped. "Why the hell would Meredith leave with him? Why didn't she come to me?"

"Derek, this is not the time to get jealous," Izzie said, "Right now we need to find Meredith."

"Does anyone know where Isaac lives?"

"No but I can get his address," Derek answered George's question. "I'll be back in a few minutes," he said and ran up the stairs.

The interns waited anxiously for his return. Indeed, a few minutes later Derek came running down the stairs, his cell phone in hand.

"Damn him!" he said pushing a button. "I got his answering machine. Apparently he's not home. He's not answering his cell phone, either. Like Meredith's, it's on but he's simply not answering!" Derek said in an agitated voice.

"Let's go to his house. He might be home letting his answering machine take his calls. I do that all the time," Cristina added. "If they're not at his house, we can see from there."

Derek had raced through the traffic and now, only ten minutes later, Izzie was knocking on Isaac's door. He owned a tiny apartment in a large grey apartment building. She got no response. There was a small window but the dusty curtains were closed so they couldn't see inside the apartment.

"Meredith!" Derek called. Silence. He banged his fist on the door. "Meredith!" Again, silence. Then the door next to Isaac's opened and a fat old man with an obvious lack of hygiene knowledge stuck his head out.

"Y'all looking for the owner of that apartment?" he said as he pointed to the door of Isaac´s apartment. He was holding a fresh cigarette and around his wrist was a golden watch. Brand new, by the sight of it.

"Yes, sir," Izzie took a quick step forward and smiled. The man glanced at her body and grinned appreciatively. Izzie smiled again.

"He's got dark hair and extremely white teeth. Tall. One might call him handsome. Is that the owner of this apartment?"

"Fits him well, yeah. Although I hardly ever see him."

"Well, is he at home?" Izzie asked.

"Nah," the man said. "But if you two had something planned, or the four of you had," he winked at Izzie and pointed at the ones standing behind her and smirked, "You're welcome at my place, too."

Izzie laughed. "No such plans, sir. But thank you for your help."

The man shrugged. "Too bad," he said indifferently and closed his door.

Izzie's smile dropped and she turned to Derek, George and Cristina.

"You're good," Cristina complimented her.

"Thank you. They're not here," Izzie said in a worried voice.

Derek ran a hand over his face and through his hair.

"All right. Where else could they be?"

"I guess they could be at Meredith's, but that's not something Meredith would do. I think she'd rather go somewhere public. Somewhere more anonymous."

"Joe's! Maybe they're at Joe's!" Izzie exclaimed.

"Meredith does feel comfortable there and it's a public place," George said.

So the four of them got back in Derek's car and drove off.

As the interns and Derek were on their way to Joe's, Meredith woke up in a room not far from them by the crash of something made of glass hitting the floor and breaking. She found herself lying in a bed, an old blanket covering her body. Her head felt heavy when she tried to lift it. Casting a glance around the room, Meredith realized she was feeling very dizzy.

_Why does the world seem to spin ten times faster than it used to? And where am I? How did I get here? What's that noise? Someone's coming. Isaac? Derek? No, I'm sure I was with Isaac just a moment ago. What...?_

Meredith closed her eyes. The dizziness and the smell of dust made her feel sick. With closed eyes she let her hands pass over her clothes. Were they the same she'd been wearing that day? It felt like they were. Meredith sighed, relieved. Anything could have happened or been done to her while she was out. Now that one possible scenario could be eliminated -she still had her clothes on- Meredith was keen to find out what other scenario _had_ brought her here in this small, dark room.

The noise got louder; it sounded like footsteps from a person walking fast, coming Meredith's way. She didn't know whether to keep her eyes closed and feign to be asleep or open them and see what was going on. Meredith wisely decided to do the first.

The door opened with a crack and somebody came in. Judging by the footsteps, Meredith guessed it was a man.

"Is she awake yet?" she heard a familiar voice call from a small distance, but outside the room. Meredith heard two more footsteps and realized that whoever was in the room was now standing beside her bed, probably scrutinizing her face to see if she was asleep.

"Is she awake yet?" the person repeated his question.

_Isaac!_

Meredith opened her eyes and looked hopeful to meet Isaac's gaze above her. Instead, she looked in the face of another man who didn't look like Isaac at all. Trying not to show her start, suddenly the realization hit her that this man, too, looked familiar. But where did she know him from?

"She's awake!" this man yelled back at Isaac.

"Is she talking?"

The other man turned back to Meredith, who was trying hard to focus on his features but couldn´t get a clear image.

"Hi there. What's your name?" he asked in a friendly tone.

"Who are you?" Meredith asked, still trying hard to remember where she had met this man before. It didn't help much that her sight was blurred by her drousiness.

"May I please know your name?" he tried again, still friendly.

_That way of speaking... Those eyes... My head..._

Suddenly Meredith was slapped softly against her cheek. She looked up furiously at the man who did this and for a brief moment she was able to focus on his face. He met her gaze and his piercing eyes seemed to look right through her.

"Crap!" Meredith exclaimed as it suddenly dawned upon her.

_He's the spitting image of...-_

But before she could scream for help the man pressed his hand on her mouth and nose and grabbed something off the floor.

"She's talking all right. Fierce little lady we got here," he called to Isaac.

Meredith struggled to get air and her attacker held up his other fist, threatening to slam it in her face if she didn't stop moving.

"Listen," he whispered in a low voice, "I'll take my hand back if you promise not to scream. Am I understood?"

Meredith nodded her head and the man removed his hand from her face. Meredith immediately started to suck in the oxygen she so desperately needed.

"Meredith Grey," he said and Meredith recognized the authority in his voice and the way of pronouncing her name. "I'm going to give you these pills. They will take away your drowsiness and they will help you relax. Okay? Just take them and nobody's going to harm you."

He handed her a glass of water and a number of pills. Meredith sat upstraight, ignoring the protests of her head and grudgingly started swallowing the pills. She couldn't think straight, nor was she able to draw the conclusion that whatever he was giving her, probably wasn't going to improve her health.

"Where's Isaac?" she asked in a low voice as the last pill began its journey to her stomach.

"You think he'll help you?"

Meredith didn't bother answering this question. She got it.

"What is it you want?" she snapped. Then she began to feel even more drousy. Much more drousy. She had to lay down her head and close her eyes. Meredith tried to fight whatever drug was spreading through her system but she couldn't help sliding into a sound sleep. After a few seconds her eyelids had become too heavy to move as had her entire body.

The last thing Meredith heard were faint footsteps removing themselves from her, although by then her brain wasn't able to make sense of anything anymore.

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Suspenseful enough? Or do you want more? 'Cause that can be arranged... R&R! 


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17: The Plan

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**

Derek's car screeched to a halt in front of Joe's Emerald City Bar. George, Cristina, Izzie and Derek jumped out and walked in.

"Hey guys! What can I get you?" Joe greeted his regular customers.

"Joe, have you seen Meredith? Is she here?" Derek asked impatiently.

Joe stopped drying the glass in his hands and looked unpleasantly surprised at the people in front him.

"Oh my god...," he started to say. Then he paused while the others held their breath. "I knew it! I knew those guys didn't work at Seattle Grace! I knew I shouldn't have trusted them! Oh god I hope she's all right. Is she?" Joe rambled with growing concern and agony.

Izzie felt like putting a comforting arm around the poor man's shoulders but they couldn't waste time now.

"We don't know. We don't know if she's all right or where she is or who she's with. I mean, we _think_ she's with Isaac but we're not a hundred per cent sure. It looks like you can help us out, though," Izzie said.

"So Meredith was here," Cristina took over the conversation. "With what, two men? Or more?"

"That's right. There were two of them. One did call himself Isaac, the other, I believe his name was Albert. Yeah it was. Quite an unusual name, no? Er, Isaac came in with Meredith. She looked upset and they took a seat in the back. He ordered coffee and tea. They were talking. Then Meredith went to the bathroom and he ordered two tequilas. Another customer came in then so I couldn't pay attention to Isaac and Meredith, though it seemed that at first Meredith didn't want her tequila, which I found strange because, you know, she always drinks tequilas, but then after awhile she did drink it. And then another one when the other guy, Albert, came in. He looked civil, they both did, and he joined Isaac and Meredith. They kept ordering drinks and I could see that Meredith wasn't feeling well after thirty minutes or so. She looked like she'd had a little too much to drink. The blonde man came to pay the bill and told me they were going to get Meredith home because she was feeling dizzy. He seemed nice enough and Meredith did come in with Isaac, so I thought it was okay," Joe paused for a moment and sadly shook his head. "I'll never forgive myself if something happened to that girl."

Izzie was the first to speak.

"Joe, it's not your fault. You just did something good for her rather than bad. We're going to find her. She'll be fine." Her last words were not solely for Joe's comfort.

Derek, George, Cristina and Izzie were trying to decide what they should do next.

"I think we should call the police," George suggested.

"Like they're going to listen to us. It's not like we can actually prove she's been kidnapped. Incidentally, she's been missing only for a few hours," Cristina replied.

Derek was clenching his teeth together. What could that Isaac have done to her? Where could he have taken her? And why?

"Let's not take this out on each other," Izzie said trying to keep the peace.

Suddenly, after a few minutes of silence, Cristina whispered: "Oh my god."

The others sharply turned to her with looks of expectancy on their faces. Cristina turned her head to face them, her eyes were wide open.

"I think I know where Meredith is."

Soft murmering from a distance reached Meredith's ears. She tried to open her eyes and after a few attempts they did. It felt as though a million pulses were racing through her brain at once.

_Gosh I´m hot. I have to get this blanket off. I might have a fever._

Meredith kicked off the blanket.

_That's one heavy blanket. Now where am I and what am I doing here? Let's see..._

Although the objects were moving in front of her eyes, Meredith was able to make out what most of them were. She sighed relieved as she recognized the furniture.

_Thank god I'm home. Finally. What took me so long? Where's Derek? I need Derek._

"Derek?" she called. "Derek? I'm here!"

The door opened with a crack and it hurt Meredith's ears. She protected them with her hands.

"Do you have to be so loud?" she asked irritated. Then she looked up and saw Derek standing in the doorway.

"Hello," he said in a funny voice, or at least Meredith thought it was funny. "I can see you're awake. This could be the insomnia otherwise you'd still be sleeping soundly, no? Anyway, not to worry. It will go away. How are you feeling? Dry mouth? Feverish? Let me feel your head," he said and placed his cold hand against her forehead.

"Oh Derek," Meredith sighed. "I feel so... so weak. The noise is... is hurting my ears. Can you make it stop?" she pleaded as she swung her arms around his strong shoulders.

Strong shoulders?

"You need to work out more," Meredith mumbled, "You're getting small shoulders, just like me. And if you become as weak as me you won't be able to carry me anymore. I like it when you do that. It makes me feel safe and protected. By my own Prince Charming" Meredith said and kissed Derek on his mouth.

He lingered for a moment in their kiss and then Derek pushed Meredith away and covered her with the blanket again.

"I'll get you some water. Stay under that blanket."

"Okay doc," Meredith smirked. She cringed at the sound of his footsteps on the floor. Didn't she ask him not to be so loud? She closed her eyes and tried to sleep, she was feeling exhausted. The sleep wouldn't come though. After awhile she started to shake.

_What's taking him so long? I'm so hot but my skin feels so cold... It's starting to frighten me._

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity to Meredith, the door opened and she heard footsteps again. The noise shot through her head as though it were gunshots, but she was too confused to react.

"I got you some water. Let me see your eyes, please."

_What? Izzie?_

Meredith thought as she opened her eyes a bit.

"Nice large pupils. So it's working."

_Why is she talking like a man? Her voice is so low! What is wrong with me? Am I in a horror movie or what? The world must have gone crazy!_

"Izzie? Why are you talking so weird? Like you're pretending to be a man. Or whatever," Meredith paused and sighed. "I thought Derek was getting me water. Am I stoned? Did you drug me?"

Izzie laughed. It was a deep, dark laugh. Very unlike Izzie. Meredith got even more confused by this and Izzie's laughing hurt her ears so she pressed her hands onto them and pressed her eyes shut, too.

After the laughing had finally stopped Meredith opened her eyes again and immediately they were filled with terror. She was in a burning room, the flames licking her bed. Slowly they began to burn the blanket she was under. Meredith couldn't stand the heat anymore and began to scream for help. She had never been that confused and frightened in her whole life.

The sudden feeling of a cold cloth against her face made Meredith wake up. At least it felt like she woke up, because all the sudden the room wasn't on fire anymore. Where was she now? And who would be with her this time? And why was everyone acting so strangely? Derek spoke very unlike Derek and Izzie sounded dark as opposed to the shiny sweet Izzie she normally was.

"Are you with us again, Meredith?"

Meredith looked up through her lashes.

"Do you want some water?" the person asked her.

"Yes," Meredith answered in a weak voice and she emptied the glass the other person handed her in a few large gulps. The feel of the cool liquid running through her throat was one of the most pleasant she'd ever had.

"Can I have more?" she asked while trying to focus on the person sitting beside her.

"Isaac? She wants more water," she heard him say.

_Isaac? Wait a minute. I know him. I remember that name. And I also remember this voice..._

Finally Meredith's head started to clear, bit by bit.

"What is happening to me?" she asked the man, "Who are you?"

"You're having the symptoms of an overdose diphenhydramine. Shaking, insomnia, large pupils, fever, ringing in your ears... Hallucinations. And we will get to your next question later..."

"You seem so familiar. But you're not him. Although you do look and act like him. I think you know who I'm talking about." Meredith tried to sound as solid and confident as possible.

The door opened and Isaac came in with a full glass of water, on which Meredith's eyes immediately focused. She was still so thirsty.

"You'll feel better soon. Then we'll talk," Isaac said as he gave Meredith the glass. She drank the water and felt less and less confused by each gulp.

In the meantime, Derek, George, Izzie and Joe were listening intently to what Cristina had to say.

"Okay. So today I got this phone call. A few days back I called Raiswick's school and asked if he had a son because I thought that creepy note that Meredith found in her locker was written by a son or wife. Then Isaac turned up and locked them both in the locker room. Raiswick teaches Physics. Isaac. From Isaac Newton! When Meredith told him the name of the drug she was taking he suddenly found the key. I didn't like his 'smooth' way of gaining her confidence and I told Meredith to be careful with guys like him. She said he was really just a nice guy. Anyway, after Meredith heard she was going to have to testify against Raiswick, Isaac told her not to. Don't put yourself through that again, bla bla bla. You know what I mean. May I remind you of the fact that the trial is tomorrow afternoon and that Meredith 'disappeared' at a very 'convenient' time? After I heard that Isaac told Meredith not to testify I got even more suspicious so I called Raiswick's high school and they told me that he, indeed, has a son. Only he doesn't match Isaac's description at all, nor does he have the same name. Of course I asked what the son's name was, then. And they told me it was Albert. Albert! Albert Einstein. Surely a Physics addict would call his son after the world's greatest physicist," Cristina paused to read the facial expressions of surprise and concentration.

"Then I asked them if the name Isaac rang a bell in connection **to** Raiswick. They said it didn't. But here it comes: Raiswick's son has blonde hair. White blonde. Joe just described the other man as having blonde hair. I had kept an eye on Isaac and his whereabouts for awhile and looking back, I realise that I actually have seen them together a few times," Cristina took a deep breath and continued.

"When we dropped by Isaac's house and the neighbour opened his door, didn't you find it peculiar that he lived in a cheap apartment, wore shreds rather than decent clothes, was smoking a cheap brand of cigarettes yet was wearing a golden watch? My guess at what happened, is this: Raiswick is transferred to another hospital, his plan to escape by taking Meredith hostage has failed, the only contact he has with the outside world is his son, Albert. Of course he is willing to do anything to prevent his father from getting locked up for probably the rest of his life. So he thinks of a plan. He steals Meredith's file from the office, copies it and brings it back. Unfortunately it contains nothing interesting for his purposes. Then he writes the creepy note, but Meredith, again, doesn't bite. Somehow Albert knows Isaac, at least he's willing to be his accomplice. Isaac's job is to threaten Meredith, hence the locker room incident. Only Meredith tells him something way more interesting: she's taking a sleep drug. While Isaac's charming looks win Meredith's trust, Albert figures out ways to keep Meredith from testifying. Isaac obviously failed at convincing her so they have to think of another plan. Time's running out and there is only one solution left: making sure Meredith is not able to show up at court. They use Meredith's vulnerability to bring her here, where they make her drink alcohol so she gets drousy and dizzy. Side effects from alcohol combined with the diphenhydramine which was still in her system. Now they have an excuse to take her home. But of course they don't take her home, they take her to another place. This other place, I think, is Isaac's apartment. They close the curtains so we can't look inside and they pay the drunk neighbour with a golden watch to tell us he's not at home," she paused again.

"Guys, I think we were closer than we thought. I think we should call the police and tell them to search Isaac's apartment."

The man, Meredith could see now, was the same blonde man she had seen earlier. She still felt weak but the ringing in her ears had stopped and her skin didn't burn anymore. Slowly also her head seemed to clear and she started to remember the events of the last weeks. Including what had happened that night. Moreover, she recalled what she had thought just before the diphenhydramine knocked her out.

"You're his son, aren't you?" she asked in a calm voice.

The blonde man looked back at her and furrowed his brow.

"Yes," he said and paused. "Yes I am. And I think you're entitled to know why you're here," he sighed. "I'll get Isaac for you," he said and stood up to leave the room.

Meredith didn't know how she felt about Isaac being in on this with Raiswick's son. Or even why the latter was being so polite to her. She was captured here, he could do anything he wanted. Yet he was very civil, or seemed that way.

_Probably inherited that from his father._

She heard the two men speaking softly to each other, then Isaac came into the room.

"Listen," he started to say. Meredith straightened her back and crossed her arms in front of her body.

"I've got some explaining to do here," Isaac said.

"Yes you do."

"All right. Albert, you know, the blonde guy, he's Raiswick's son. And I'm his best friend. We're more like brothers. My dad died when I was twelve years old and Albert's dad became my dad, too. A few weeks ago Albert called me, told me to switch on the news. Apparently his dad had attacked a few girls at his school and the police were looking for him. We were so worried, you know. But then he got involved in an accident and was brought to Seattle Grace. Well, you know what happened there, and he was transferred to another hospital. Albert was the only one who could visit him. Wouldn't even let me in. Stupid cops. Anyway, Albert and his dad thought of this plan together. It really was quite simple, but then better opportunities arose."

"What was your clever plan all about? Locking me up in the locker room and kill me? Abduct me? Threaten me? What were you planning on doing to me, Isaac?" Meredith's anger was present in her voice but she didn't try to hide it. She wasn't scared of Isaac.

"None of those things! Jeez you are paranoid! No, the plan was, at first, for Albert to get your file and see if you had a history of mental problems. If so, that could be used in court, to prove that you made up your complaint. That nothing happened between you and him. But no such thing, unfortunately. Then Albert wrote you a note to talk to you. Really just to talk and let you realize that it wasn't necessary for you to testify against his dad and get him a worse sentence. You didn't even take it seriously. That's when I started to work as a cleaner, so I could keep my eye on you all day. I could see you were not over what happened and I decided to try to talk to you in Albert's place. I locked us both up in the locker room and tried to intimidate you a bit, but not too much. We talked and you told me you were taking diphenhydramine. A drug, I thought, could be used in your disadvantage. Because by then it was clear Albert and I had to take more rigorous measures against you. While I was gaining your confidence, Albert worked out another plan. This plan."

"Okay. So you took advantage of my argument with Derek and took me to Joe's. You as much as forced me to drink a couple tequilas because you knew the effect they would have on my body combined with the diphenhydramine, right?" Meredith said in an icy voice.

"Why, yes. But that would have meant that our plan relied on random events, the plan wouldn't have been solid enough. What if you and Derek hadn't got in an argument? No, we were better prepared than that."

"Is that so? Tell me about your genious plan, then."

"All right, if you insist."

"As a matter of fact I do."

"Fine. Like I told you I had been watching you-"

"Spying on me. Continue."

"Fine. Anyway, I knew that Derek was worried about you, I know it was too soon for you to work again. The stress was wearing you off. Today was the day to carry out our plan. So Albert switched your pager with his own, home-made one. Cristina had to cover for you and Bailey wasn't happy. That raised your stress level quite a bit, didn't it? You found your pager, went to the bathroom, and got locked up. Another unfortunate coincidence. To make matters worse, you nearly killed one of your patients and her family was furious, as was your resident."

"Let me guess. Since Albert pretended to be the furious family member he probably also messed with the charts. Am I close?" Meredith interrupted Isaac and brought her face close to his to show him she wasn't scared of him.

"You're a smart young woman, Meredith. And brave. I like that in a woman. Too bad we had to meet this way. But where were we? Oh I remember. Are you close? Yes you are. I knew Derek would get to know about your screw-ups eventually and you, stubborn Meredith, would argue with him."

"Hold on. How did you know we would get into an argument? You don't know that much about our relationship. Or me!"

"I have a degree in Psychology. It's easy for me to read people. It was very easy to read your relationship with Derek Shepherd. So you were upset, obviously. And I would be the friend you could talk to. And you would. Albert had to wait until you had a few tequilas or you'd recognise him as being the furious family member. From then on everything went smoothly, as you can see. Nobody knows we're here."

"Don't you think Derek will come looking for me? Don't you think my friends will come looking for me? I'll be missed, you know. Seriously. And I think your plan sucks. It's crap, just like the two of you, and Raiswick. He's the king of crap."

Isaac tried to slap Meredith across the face. He missed though, Meredith's 'fighting sessions' with Cristina had made her more alert and she was able to see his hand coming seconds before he tried to hit her.

"Don't talk about him that way," Isaac whispered through clenched teeth. "He's a good man."

Meredith knew she'd hit his weak spot.

"Since when do good men assault and rape young girls? You're brainwashed, Isaac. He and Albert brainwashed you. You're nothing but their toy."

Isaac jumped up and left the room. He slammed the door shut behind him. Meredith wasn't sure if provoking Isaac would do her much good, but she didn't really care. All she cared about was escaping from these madmen. With every minute that passed her desire to testify against Raiswick grew stronger.

_I have to get out of here._

Meredith lifted herself on her feet with the intention of looking for something she could use as a weapon, but dizziness struck her and she had to get back onto the bed. After a few seconds she had recovered and didn't try to stand up again. Instead, she passed her hands over the wall. She held her breath as she suddenly felt a piece of fabric.

_Could it be a curtain? If only I could find a window and get outside..._

The piece of fabric apparently did belong to a curtain and behind it was... a window. Frantically Meredith started to open it. She couldn't afford to make much noise but the thing was stuck and only a strong force could open it.

_To hell with it!_

Meredith took a deep breath, breathed out and jerked the window open. But as she started to climb through it suddenly the door was opened and both Isaac and Albert came walking towards Meredith's bed. They were angry and agitated and roughly grabbed her and closed the window.

"That was stupid," Albert said in a low voice. "Isaac?"

Isaac let go of Meredith's waist and rushed out of the room. Albert grabbed her wrists and forced her down on the bed.

"_Really_ stupid," he repeated in her ear.

Isaac was back with another handful of pills.

"Take them," Albert hissed at her.

Meredith shook her head.

"Take them god damnit!" Isaac shouted and held Meredith's head in the right position for Albert to force the pills down her throat.

Just when Meredith was about to give up the struggle she heard one of the most glorious things she'd ever heard: the sound of sirenes coming from police cars.

"Fuck!" Isaac shouted again. "What are we going to do, Albert? The fucking police are out there!" He let go of Meredith's head and held his arms up in the air making a desperate gesture.

"Isaac, easy," Albert tried to calm down his friend but had to swallow a lump in his throat himself. "I didn't count on this," he whispered in a weak voice.

"You are the smart one, Albert! Come on, tell me how we can get out of here!"

"I... don't know, Isaac. I'm sorry," Albert said and approached Isaac. The latter swore once more and started to make for the front door. Albert stayed in the room with Meredith, his gaze aimed at the floor. It seemed like this confused him: not knowing what to do. He rubbed his neck and said to himself: "It was the perfect plan. I thought it was the perfect plan. Dad can't go to prison."

Then the awful sound of Isaac's terror and surprise sounded from not far away. Only seconds later the front door, although unlocked, was kicked in and running footsteps approached the room Meredith and Albert were in.

"Police! Meredith Grey?" a man shouted.

"In here!" Meredith started to scream, but Albert leapt at her and was about to press a pillow on her face when one police man entered the room and knocked him out with a single punch to his head.

"Are you Meredith Grey?" he asked as he tried to catch his breath and checked Albert's pulse.

Meredith felt her whole body go numb from the adrenaline disappearing and merely looked in the man's eyes.

"Come on, I'm going to get you out of here. Can you walk?" he asked and took Meredith's hand and supported her back as she stood up. The dizziness struck her again but she leaned on the police man and was able to walk out of the house. Outside, Meredith saw flashes of Albert and Isaac being handcuffed and read their rights. Another man was already in a police car, she noticed as they had taken the elevator to the first floor, but she'd never seen him before.

"Meredith!" she heard a familiar voice call out to her.

_Would it really be..._

"Meredith! Are you okay?" Derek said as he finally reached the most precious person in his life and held her tight.

"Yes. I think so," Meredith replied in small voice.

"Thank you officer. Thank you so much," Derek said to the police man before he softly wiped the hair from Meredith's face and kissed her.

"Derek," she said, "I love you so much. And I'm so sorry for being stubborn."

"It's okay. It's okay. As a matter of fact I love it when you're being stubborn," Derek replied as he caressed her face.

Meredith smiled through her tears.

"That's a lie."

"No, seriously. I wouldn't want you to be any other way you are. I love, I mean LOVE every tiny bit of you."

Meredith sighed with content and rested her head on Derek's strong shoulder.

_Definitely strong shoulders. Definitely Derek._

"How did they find me?"

"Actually the person who found you was Cristina. We were at Joe's and all the sudden she just figured it all out."

"I could have known it was her. She wouldn't let anyone else think of it first."

"Well, thank god for her will to be number one at all times."

"No, thank her."

"You're right. Why don't we go up to them?"

"They're here?"

"Yes, they are."

"Hm. I'm lucky to have such good friends."

"Yeah. They're one extraordinary group of interns."

"Yes they are."

But before Derek and Meredith could leave the scene a member of the ambulance staff walked up to them.

"Ma'am? Would you mind to go to the ambulance? Just to check you over."

"I don't have any wounds. I wasn't sexually abused. I was given an overdose of dyphenhydramine and I'm still kind of dizzy because of that, but for the rest I'm fine," Meredith assured him.

"Darling, I think it wouldn't hurt you just to let them check everything," Derek said.

Meredith took a breath to explain she was absolutely fine and didn't need any medical attention but then she recalled the last time she'd said that, and realized she could accept help without making a weak impression.

"All right," she said.

"What?" Derek replied obliviously. He had already been preparing himself for a discussion.

"Okay. Fine. I'll go," Meredith laughed.

"Good! Very well," Derek said and together they followed the man to the ambulance. Meredith turned out to be healthy except for the symptoms of the overdosage. The doctor said she should just **wear it out** though. Meredith gave the police a brief statement of the happenings of that night and then it was time to go home.

George, Izzie and Cristina were waiting for them by Derek's car and Izzie immediately enveloped her friend in a tight hug when she noticed Meredith.

"Oh my god, I was so worried. Are you okay?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

"I'm fine. I'm fine," Meredith answered and smiled.

"Good to see you're okay. Once again," George said as he hugged Meredith too.

"Meredith," Cristina said.

"Cristina," Meredith answered. "Thank you so much. You're my best friend ever. And the smartest one, too."

Meredith hugged Cristina so tight she could hardly breathe.

"Did they give her some kind of drug?" she mouthed to Derek, pointing at Meredith who was still clinging onto her.

Derek nodded in confirmation.

"Okay," Cristina mouthed back and visibly felt awkward as she hugged Meredith back and patted her back.

"Good to have you back. Yeah. Good girl friend," she mumbled.

When Meredith finally released Cristina they all got in Derek's car and he drove them to Meredith's house. They stayed up for half an hour to hear Meredith's brief description of all that had taken place and then went to bed. Cristina stayed in Izzie's room and Derek, of course, in Meredith's. He would make sure she was safely in his arms that night.

It was around noon the next day when everyone woke up too late and started getting dressed. Meredith hadn't slept much but at least she had been able to get some rest. Comfortably in Derek's arms, his body temperature keeping her warm.

Now, at breakfast, Meredith and Derek were constantly casting glances at one another.

"Guys, you're acting like you're still in high school. Get over yourselves. Please. It's too early," Cristina said annoyed.

"Let's go upstairs again," Derek suggested.

"Let's take a shower," Meredith smirked.

"Too bad no time," Izzie patted them both on the back. "Come on finish your breakfast. We have to leave in ten minutes. We're late."

Derek gently pulled Meredith towards him and she laid her hands on his chest.

"Will you be okay?" he asked softly.

Meredith nodded.

"With each minute I spent with Isaac and Albert I wanted to testify him closer and closer to hell."

Derek kissed her forehead.

"That's my girl," he said.

That afternoon they arrived at the court house only five minutes too late. Meredith rushed into the building while the others went to park the car. She asked the receptionist in which room Raiswick was being tried and she walked towards it. Before she opened the doors she took a deep breath.

_It's over. I did great. I have the best friends in the world. Derek loves me._

"Excuse me. Who are you?" the judge asked as Meredith entered the court room.

"My name is Meredith Grey. I'd like to testify."


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter eighteen: Epilogue

* * *

**

Meredith stretched her legs as she lay on her back on one of the benches of the ferry boat. Her head was resting in his lap and Derek stroked her hair. As she studied the shapes of the clouds above them in the bright blue sky and a soft breeze carrying the fresh scent of spring reached her nostrils Meredith thought about all the things that had happened in the last month.

_Sometimes it's hard to face something that's true. Especially when the truth is that you were attacked by your high school teacher at a dance. And that he took you hostage and nearly killed you. And that his son and his friend later tried to do the same. And hallucinating._

_They almost make you forget about the happy things. There are a lot of happy things. Such as lying here on a ferry boat looking at the sky. Not to skip that the man you love most loves you back. Or that your friends really do care about you. Or that you helped putting a madman behind bars. Make that three madmen by the way. I mean seriously, those are great things. The fact is, no matter how endless they may seem, after times full of crap come times with love. And friends. And strawberry ice cream!_

"Meredith," Derek said in a tone that told her he was going to make an announcement. "I love you. It's a beautiful day. And I love you. You're the greatest thing that's ever happened to me."

"Derek," Meredith said as she met his gaze and looked into his beautiful bright blue eyes. "I love you too. I never want to lose you. Let's get engaged."

Derek chuckled and kissed her hand, then her lips.

"Let's get married."

_The End_

_

* * *

_

Awww it's finished. While I was on vacation I wrote eighteen pages for you! I had a great time writing this story and I hope you had a good time reading it. Thank you all for your support and kind reviews!!! I've got a million ideas for other GA stories and actually, I wrote another, shorter story. I was planning on waiting a week and then posting it but I've decided I cannot wait! It's called 'Izzie's Story' and obviously it's about Izzie. It's also about her daughter and her pregnancy and... well, just read it.

Anyways. Feel free to tell me what you think of this ending and please review!

- WriterC.


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